MOUNT OLIVE (March 24) – Sophomore
Davis Halstead delivered a go-ahead pinch-hit RBI single up the middle, as the Trojans completed a three-game series sweep over No. 21 UNC Pembroke in Conference Carolinas play at Scarborough Field on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the University of Mount Olive baseball team improves to 20-8 overall behind six straight victories while moving to 11-3 in league action. The Trojans have won the last four meetings in the series against the Braves and sit in second place in the conference standings. Meanwhile, UNC Pembroke falls to 21-9 this season with a 7-8 mark in conference play.
In the bottom of the first, senior
Dylan Jeffries and fifth-year
David Cucci reached base on a back-to-back hit by pitches before later advancing into scoring position. With one out, senior
Alden Cottle laced a two-run single up the middle to take a 2-0 advantage. After a scoreless second inning, sophomore
Lane McLean delivered a sacrifice fly to right-center with the bases loaded in the third to stretch the lead to 3-0.
UNC Pembroke halted its scoreless drought in the top of the sixth with an RBI single to left-center to trim the deficit to 3-1. In the seventh, the Braves closed the gap to 3-2 after a solo homer to left field before tallying two additional runs in the eighth to grab a 4-3 edge. In the bottom half of the eighth, senior
Joshua Kabayama drew a walk with one out before advancing to third on a wild pitch and a stolen base. The next at-bat, McLean produced a game-tying RBI double down the left-field line before Halstead recorded a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle to reclaim a 5-4 advantage.
Redshirt senior
Erik Johnson took a no-decision after yielding two earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk in 6.1 innings pitched (97 pitches). Reliever
Greyson Linderman earned the win (2-1) after surrendering two earned runs on three hits with one strikeout over 1.2 innings. Senior
Andrew Ledbetter secured his third save of the season after closing out the top of the ninth.
Mount Olive will return to Southeast Regional play on Tuesday, March 26, when it travels to face Wingate with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
