The Pinecrest softball trio of Keely Robinson, Olivia Cioccalanti and Jennica Denham led the Patriots to an 11-5 win over cross-county rival Union Pines Friday night in Cameron.

Robinson turned in a strong pitching performance and Cioccalanti and Denham drove in six runs.

The Patriots struck first in the contest scoring two runs in the second inning as Robinson stole home and Denham had a run scoring single in the frame.

Pinecrest added five more runs to the score in the top of the third inning on four hits and two Viking errors. Two of those runs scored on Cioccalanti's double. Denham and Ashley Mashburn added run-scoring hits to give the Patriots a 7-1 lead.

Patriot head coach Paul Goins felt his team performed well in all phases of the game.

"It always feels good to win a game," he said. "Cioccalanti is probably the best third basemen anywhere; she is only 14 years old, so she doesn't know it yet, but with the glove she is im-pressive. When she is on, I have not seen one any better. She is just outstanding at third base, with a strong arm and super instincts to match."

Cioccalanti did her far share of damage against Union Pines with the leather and the lumber. In the field she snagged several seemingly surefire hits. Three times she robbed Brittany Belton of extra-base hits, effortlessly turning hard-hit balls down the line into quick outs. At the plate she went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs, a double and a stolen base.

The Pats turned in a prodigious offensive performance, tallying 13 hits, four walks and five stolen bases in the contest.

"We played really good today all around," Cioccalanti said after the game, "and most importantly we did it as a team. Our hitting was strong, which I think had to do with having good (collective) timing at the plate."

Viking head coach Randy Calcutt pulled starter Megan Thompson after she issued back to back walks to start the fourth, opting to bring in Belton. On the night Thompson allowed eight runs (four earned), seven hits, four walks and hit two batters in 3.1 innings of work.

"Megan just didn't have it out there tonight," said Calcutt. "She struggled with control and location."

Meanwhile, Robinson had her good stuff with her out on the mound. She employed a lively heater to paint the outside corner, while mixing in an effective changeup to fan seven Vike batters. Robinson allowed no walks, four hits and an unearned run in four innings of work to get the win.

"It felt really good when we got ahead early by scoring all those runs," Robinson said, "and to be able beat Union Pines, especially at their home, made it feel extra good."

After the Lady Patriots plated an unearned run in the top of the fourth, Robinson needed just six pitches in her last inning of work to quickly retire the side.

With his team up 8-1 in the middle of the fifth, Goins felt comfortable giving Robinson the remainder of the evening off to rest her arm. He then entrusted the pitching duties to Abby Hinson, who tossed the final three innings.

"Abby (Hinson) is a good backup pitcher," Goins said, "and comes in there and does a real good job when you need her too. So I was comfortable making the switch (at that point), because we were doing what we needed to do to win the game.

"Keely (Robinson) was solid out there on the mound tonight, which did not surprise me. She is just a freshman and she is going to get a lot better. She works hard, is good at the bat and can play any position. In a couple of years (I know) she will be a truly good pitcher for this program."

Calcutt admitted after the game that he was baffled by his team's lackluster effort with the bats.

"To be honest, I am disappointed," he said. "Their pitcher did a really good job, but we did not play nearly as well as I know we can. We (have) faced pitching that good in nearly every game we have played this year and we hit the ball well. I don't know what happen. Maybe it was the lay-off from spring break or something, but I was shocked."

Pinecrest added two runs in the sixth off Belton, to build its advantage to 10-1. In its half of the inning, Union Pines answered with a four-run rally with two outs.

Vike clean-up batter Chelsey Hardy started things with a two-strike triple to center. She then scored on a double by Megan Barker. Next, sophomore catcher Amber Nunnaley singled to move Barker to third. After Nunnaley stole second base, Megan Smith capped off the frame with a two-run single that sizzled into left field through the hole between short and third.

With the win, Pinecrest is now 6-7-1 on the year, while Union Pines' overall record now stands at 4-11. Next up for the Pats is a Monday contest with East Montgomery, before they return to league play Tuesday against Scotland. The Vikes will be back in action Tuesday, when they travel to Sanford to battle the Southern Lee Cavaliers in a conference contest.

Contact F.W. Manning II at 639-5481 or by email at fwm2@nc.rr.com

R H E

P 025 102 1 11 13 2

U 001 004 0 5 9 6

P -- Robinson (W): 4 IP 1R 0ER 4H 7K. Hinson: 3IP 4R 3ER 1K. U -- Thompson (L): 3.1 IP 8R 4ER 7H 1K 4BB. 2HP. Belton: 3.2 IP 4R 1ER 6H 1K. ; Leading Hitters -- P: Cioccalanti 2-4, 2B, 4RBI, SB. Jennica Denham 2-4, 2B 3RBI. A. Harrison 3-4, 2R BB. A. Gibson 2-3, 2R BB; U: C. Voss 2-4, 2R SB. Smith 2-3, 2RBI. Nunnaley 2-3, SB.