FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-24-01

No. 4 Armstrong Atlantic State 13-11, Mount Olive 1-0

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The No. 4-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State softball team pounded out 22 hits and 24 runs in a season-opening doubleheader sweep of Mount Olive College, 13-1 and 11-0, on Saturday afternoon at Pirate Field.

The Pirates (2-0) wasted no time in opening the 2001 season right, scoring six first-inning runs off of Mount Olive (2-8) starter Melanie West, including home runs by junior Annie Sells and senior Nicole Weirauch. In the second inning, senior Crystal McCracken picked up her first home run with a two-run shot, then the Pirates piled on five more runs in the fourth inning.

Sells (1-0) allowed just one hit and one unearned run in five innings for the victory, striking out seven. West (2-3) gave up all 13 runs, 10 earned, in four innings.

In the second game, the Pirates scored six runs in the third inning and five runs in the fourth for the 11-0 victory. Senior Julie King (1-0) allowed just two hits, striking out eight in five innings for her first win of the season while Jennifer Denning (0-4) gave up 11 runs, nine earned, in four innings for the Trojans.

Sells led the Lady Pirates offensively in the doubleheader by going 5-for-6 with five RBI, while McCracken went 4-for-6 with six RBI.

The Pirates are next in action on March 1-3 at the Osprey Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla., hosted by the University of North Florida.

- Pirates -