Mount Olive senior Chris Hinton pitched 6.2 effective innings of relief, and Will Bynum's homer highlighted a three-run sixth as the 26th-ranked Trojans rallied past visiting California (Pa.) 16-14 Thursday night in non-conference baseball at Scarborough Field.

Hinton (1-0) was the Trojans' third pitcher during California's 11-run third inning. He was greeted with singles by Kyle Petty and A. J. Robinson before extinguishing the fire.

Though the Vulcans added single runs in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings, he was able to keep the visitors within reach to allow his teammates to come from behind.

The Vulcan outburst erased an early 7-0 advantage Mount Olive built after two frames. Jermaine Berry and Daniel Oliver singled home runs in the first, then Antonio Callaway and Jacob Rogers followed suit an inning later. Four California errors proved costly.

Mount Olive (15-6) quickly got two runs back in the bottom of the third. After a double play emptied the bases, Callaway singled to left, then trotted home when Rogers belted his seventh home run of the season off the right field scoreboard.

Bradon Reitano's lead-off double in the fourth led to two more Trojan runs. Cameron Sherrer singled home Reitano, then scored the Vulcans botched a rundown play when Will Bynum was picked off first base.

California regained the lead 13-12 when Troy Handza, Ben Carson and Will Kaufman delivered consecutive two-out singles in the sixth.

In the bottom of the frame, the Trojans took the lead for good. With one out, Bynum blasted his second homer of the season to deep left-center. Mike Mercurio followed with an infield single, then raced home on a triple by Callaway into the right field corner. Rogers' sacrifice fly made it 15-13. Berry then blasted his third homer to lead off the seventh.

Hinton retired the Vuilcans (9-9) in order in three of the final five innings, the only times either offense went quietly. Mount Olive scored at least one run in each of the first seven frames.

All nine Trojans starters had at least one hit in a 16-hit attack. Callaway  and Berry each had three hits, while Rogers drove in four runs and Berry three.

Mount Olive begins an eight-game road trip Friday when the Trojans travel to Coker for a three-game series. First pitch Friday is at 3:30 p.m. for a single nine-inning game. Saturday, the teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon.