MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 23) – In a high-scoring affair, the Trojans produced a season-high 18 hits to claim a 14-11 victory at Emmanuel on Friday afternoon in the opening game of Conference Carolinas play.

With the win, the University of Mount Olive baseball program improves to 6-3 this season behind a 1-0 mark in league action. The Trojans boast a 23-3 record against the Lions in the series dating back to 2015 while also winning the previous three meetings. Meanwhile, Emmanuel drops to 10-5 overall with a 0-1 record in conference play.

Senior Alden Cottle finished 4-for-6 at the plate with five RBIs, and two runs scored, while graduate student Landon Choboy went 3-for-6 with a trio of RBIs and two runs scored. Redshirt junior Mike Kenney tallied three hits, one RBI, one walk, and three runs scored. Senior Vito Patierno finished 2-for-5 with three runs scored, while graduate student Gordon Pihl went 2-for-5 with three RBIs in the win.

The Trojans established an early 4-0 advantage after tallying five hits in the opening inning of the contest. UMO produced three consecutive singles to load the bases before Choboy laced an RBI single to left field. With one out, Pihl delivered a two-run single to center field before the Trojans scored on the following at-bat after a fielding error. In the top of the second, Choboy registered another RBI following a single to center field to stretch the lead to 5-0. In the next frame, Mount Olive stretched the lead to 9-0 with an RBI walk by Kenney before Cottle delivered a bases-clearing three-run double to left field.

Emmanuel climbed back into the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning with four runs on four hits to trail by a 9-4 margin. In the top of the fifth, the Trojans reclaimed their nine-run lead with four runs on three hits, highlighted by another RBI single from Choboy before an RBI double by senior Dylan Jeffries, 13-4. Over the next two innings, the Lions closed the gap to 13-11 before Cottle delivered an insurance run in the top of the eighth with an RBI single to left field, 14-11.

Graduate student Ethan Imbimbo improves to 2-0 this season on the mound after tossing 5.1 innings with two strikeouts in the start. Redshirt senior Greyson Linderman captured his second save after closing out the final 2.2 innings with three strikeouts.

The Trojans continue their series versus Emmanuel tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 24, with a doubleheader starting at noon.