LEXINGTON, S.C. (Feb. 28) – Despite a three-run homer by sophomore
Davis Halstead in the top of the ninth, the Trojans surrendered five runs in the bottom half of the frame to suffer an 11-7 loss to Georgia College in non-conference play on Wednesday afternoon.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive baseball program drops 8-4 this season while holding a 6-2 record on the road. The two teams have met six times since 2013 with every contest on a neutral site, including twice in the NCAA Southeast Regional. Meanwhile, Georgia College improves to 8-8 overall while winning three of its last four games.
The Trojans jumped ahead in the top of the first inning after redshirt sophomore
Case Kermode delivered an infield RBI single with the bases loaded, 1-0. The Bobcats responded in the bottom half with two runs on four hits, including three-straight doubles, to take a 2-1 edge. Following a scoreless second frame, fifth-year
David Cucci tied the contest with an RBI single up the middle in the top of the third. Georgia College quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the third with a solo homer to right field, 3-2.
In the top of the fourth, Mount Olive senior
Alden Cottle once again tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center field before taking a 4-3 lead in the fifth after scoring on a wild pitch. The Bobcats countered in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run double to left center while scoring on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh, 6-4.
Mount Olive rallied in the ninth, as Halstead belted a three-run blast to right center, his first of the season, to take a 7-6 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, Georgia College tied the game at 7-7 with an RBI single to right field before delivering a walk-off grand slam to escape with an 11-7 win.
Cucci finished 4-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored, while senior
Vito Patierno and Kermode each went 2-for-4.
Senior
Hayden Myrick suffered the loss (0-1) after surrendering five earned runs on three hits in the final inning of the contest. Senior
Justin Koehler earned the start and yielded five earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
The Trojans will host a three-game series this weekend against No. 7 ranked Young Harris on March 2-3 at Scarborough Field in Conference Carolinas play.
