MOUNT OLIVE (April 12) – The Trojan pitching staff matched a season-high with 14 strikeouts in a 4-1 victory over Virginia State on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action at Scarborough Field.

With the win, the University of Mount Olive baseball team improves to 25-10 this season behind a 16-3 mark on its home field. Dating back to 2017, the Trojans hold a 7-0 record in the series versus VSU with all seven victories coming at Scarborough Field. Meanwhile, Virginia State falls to 16-16 overall with a 3-7 record on the road this season.

Freshman Carson Gipson earned the win (4-0) after tossing 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and three walks while not surrendering a hit. Junior Hayden Myrick registered his second save of the year after producing four strikeouts and one walk in the final 1.2 innings. Senior Caleb Irwin made his return to the mound and yielded zero runs on one hit with one strikeout in 1.0 inning pitched.

In the bottom of the first inning, graduate student Landon Choboy recorded an RBI double to shallow left-center to score junior Vito Patierno with two outs, as UMO took a 1-0 lead. Following a scoreless second frame, VSU laced a two-out RBI double to right-center to tie the contest at 1-1 in the top of the third.

Freshman Davis Halstead led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk before advancing into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, junior Dylan Jeffries delivered an RBI single through the left side, as the Trojans reclaimed a 2-1 edge. In the bottom of the sixth, Choboy drew a leadoff walk before senior Jack Casbarro ripped a double into right-center field. Sophomore Cooper George recorded an RBI on a ground ball before Casbarro scored on a passed ball, 4-1. The Mount Olive pitching staff stranded four VSU players on base in the final two innings, including three in scoring position.

The Trojans return to Conference Carolinas play on Saturday, April 15, when they begin a three-game series on the road at Southern Wesleyan with a doubleheader starting at noon.