GASTONIA, N.C. (May 4) – In opening round game against regionally-ranked opponents, the No. 4 seeded University of Mount Olive baseball team suffered a 5-4 extra-innings loss to No. 3 seed UNC Pembroke in the Conference Carolinas Championship at CaroMont Health Park.
With the loss, the Trojans drop to 32-15 overall after appearing No. 6 in the latest Southeast Regional rankings released on Wednesday. Mount Olive will now play elimination games the remainder of the tournament and will face the winner of North Greenville/Francis Marion tomorrow, Friday, May 5, at 3 p.m. Meanwhile, the Braves advance in the championship bracket and improve to 37-13 while winning three of the last four meetings between the sides.
In the top of the first inning, junior Vito Patierno delivered a one-out double to right field before advancing to third on a ground out. The Braves escaped the top-half of the inning after forcing a pop out in the infield. UNC Pembroke got on the board in the bottom of the first inning after registering a pair of doubles to take a 1-0 edge. Following a scoreless second inning, the Trojans answered in the top of the third as freshman Davis Halstead drew a leadoff walk. The next at-bat, junior Mike Kenney produced a single through the left side before a fly out advanced Halstead to third base. Patierno followed and recorded his second double of the game into right-center to give UMO a 2-1 advantage. In the bottom half, UNC Pembroke countered with three runs on four hits to regain the lead after recording a pair of RBI singles, 4-2.
After four scoreless innings and a pitching duel between relievers, the Trojans responded in the top of the eighth. Senior Jack Casbarro drew a leadoff walk before advancing to third on a wild pitch and a fly out. With one out, senior JT Stone launched a two-run homer to right field, his seventh of the year, to tie the contest at 4-4. UNC Pembroke loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth before junior Hayden Myrick entered the game in relief and registered back-to-back outs to escaped the frame.
The game went into extra innings with Casbarro leading off the 10th with a single through the left side. With one out, Stone delivered an infield single before a fly out placed runners on the corners. The Braves avoid further damage to keep the contest tied. In the bottom half, a single and failed pickoff attempt placed the game-winning run on second. After both players reached safely on a fielder's choice the bases were eventually loaded with one out. UNCP delivered the game-winning RBI single down the left-field line to win the game, 5-4.
Patierno finished the game 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Stone also went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and one run scored. Cottle also produced a pair of hits with two stolen bases.
Myrick was saddled with the loss (3-2) after surrendering one run on three hits with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings.
Junior Justin Koehler pitched effectively in relief after scattering three hits with zero runs scored over 4.2 innings pitched in five strikeouts.
Mount Olive returns to the field tomorrow, Friday, May 5, when its faces the winner of North Greenville/Francis Marion in the league tournament, starting at 3 p.m.
