After combining with California (Pa.) to score 30 runs a day earlier, Mount Olive was looking for a little more normalcy for the start of a three-game weekend series at Coker Friday afternoon. Nick Gaeta delivered a two-out, two-run pinch single in the top of the ninth, then Antonio Callaway walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run as the 27th-ranked Trojans escaped with an 11-10 Conference Carolinas baseball win.

Starting pitcher Jake Moser pitched well for seven innings, but in the eighth, Mount Olive's defense led to an opponent's big inning for the second consecutive game. Coker erased a 6-2 deficit with an eight-run outburst

In the top of the ninth, the Trojans (16-6 overall, 7-2 Conference Carolinas) returned the favor. Callaway singled and scored on a double by Jacob Rogers. One out later, Jermaine Berry singled to cut the lead to 10-8. A walk to Bradon Reitano put the tying runs on base, then Will Bynum was hit by a pitch to load the bases for pinch-hitter Nick Gaeta, who singled home the tying runs. A walk to Mike Mercurio re-loaded the bases with two outs. Callaway drew a four-pitch walk to bring in the winner.

In the second, the Trojans struck twice thanks to a pair of Coker errors. A double play brought home the first run, then Bynum singled home Berry for a 2-0 lead. An inning later, Rogers walked with two outs, stole second, then scored on an Escalante single.

In the fourth, Mount Olive stretched the lead to 4-0 on an RBI-double by Bynum.

The Cobras (14-14, 7-6) made their first noise in the fifth when Jake Frazier tripled home a run, then scored on a groundout. The Trojans got a run back in the fifth on a Sherrer RBI-single, then pushed the cushion to 6-2 on a Sherrer triple in the eighth.

In the bottom of the frame, however, things unraveled quickly for the Trojans. An error and a wild pitch got things started for the Cobras. Five hits and an error later, the Cobras held a 10-6 lead and had the visitors on the ropes with just three outs remaining.

In the bottom of the ninth, Derek Justice recorded his first save as a Trojan, setting down the Cobras in order. Skylar Sopotnick (2-0) recorded the win after getting the final out of the eighth.

The teams conclude the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.