Tournament Most Valuable Player Jacob Rogers homered and freshman Derek Justice tossed eight strong innings, leading nationally top-ranked Mount Olive to its third consecutive Conference Carolinas championship with a 13-3 win over sixth-seeded Erskine Sunday afternoon in Wilson, N.C. The Trojans pounded out 17 hits in all, including four by junior catcher Geno Escalante, who extended his hitting streak to a school-record 41 games.

The pitching thin Flying Fleet, who had to win two games Saturday just to get to the championship round, were touched in each of the first four innings as Mount Olive built a 6-2 cushion. In the seventh, the Trojans (42-7) blew the game open. Braden Reitano led off with a walk and moved to third on a double by Cameron Sherrer. Will Bynum brought home one run with a sacrifice fly, then Bryan Dunlavey singled in one run and scored on a double by Mike Mercurio. Antonio Callaway walked to set the stage for Escalante's two-run single.

All 10 batters to come to the plate for the Trojans recorded at least one hit. Mercurio and Sherrer each drove in three. Callaway posted four singles, the fifth time this season he has had at least four hits in a game.

"All the work I did with Coach (Rob) Watt back in the fall has really paid off for me. He really helped me." said Escalante. "I'm seeing the ball really well."

Justice (4-0) was the beneficiary of the offensive onslaught. The freshman tossed eight innings, allowing six hits and striking out five. The outing was Justice's longest as a Trojan. Twice this season Justice has pitched 4 2/3 innings. Nolan Lancaster pitched a shutout inning to close out the Flying Fleet (30-23).

Justice also benefitted from another strong outing by the Trojan defense. A long running catch in the gap by Will Bynum in the second held the Flying Fleet to just one run after a walk and an error put Erskine on the board. In the fifth, Justice coaxed an infield popout and a ground ball with two runners in scoring position to get out of trouble. He then got leadoff hitter Logan Galliher to ground into a double play in the seventh.

Justice was given an early lead in the top of the first when Rogers belted his 17th home run of the season over the right field fence. The blast, his third of the tournament, all against Erskine, came after Rogers thought he drew a two-out walk. After a conference by the umpires, it was ruled the ball touched Rogers' bat for a foul ball. On the next pitch, Rogers left no doubt. Escalante followed with his first hit of the game to extend his hitting streak.

In the second, Braden Reitano led off with a walk and was bunted to second by Sherrer. After a hit batsman, Mercurio singled both runners home for a 3-0 lead. In the third, Bynum singled home Reitano, then a walk to Rogers and singles by Jermaine Berry, Reitano and Sherrer pushed the lead to 6-2.

Mount Olive won the league tourney title for the 11th time in the conference's 17 years at the NCAA Division II ranks. The Trojans – who went to the NCAA Division II National Championship Finals at the Team USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., that they co-hosted in 2011 – have earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament beginning with the Southeast Regionals May 17-20.

Erskine made an impressive run as the sixth and final seed after losing its tourney opener to Mount Olive by winning three straight elimination games to finish as the tournament runner-up.

Conference Carolinas announced its 2012 All-Tournament Team after the final out. The award winners were King sophomore Cody Snyder, North Greenville senior Derek Fulmer, Mount Olive senior Jake Moser, Erskine junior Heath Gray, Mount Olive junior Geno Escalante, Erskine freshman Logan Galliher, Mount Olive junior Mike Mercurio, Erskine sophomore Will Huff, Mount Olive pitcher Derek Justice and the tournament MVP in Rogers.

Junior starter Evan Howard (2-2) suffered the loss for Erskine allowing the first four MOC runs over 2 2/3 innings of work. The Fleet pitching staff used six hurlers in the contest.