FLORENCE, S.C. (April 10) – The No. 10 ranked University of Mount Olive baseball program rallied in the top of the ninth with four runs on five hits to capture a 7-4 victory over Newberry on Wednesday afternoon at Carolina Bank Field in non-conference play.
With the win, the Trojans hold a 15-game winning streak and improve to 29-8 this season while playing in just their second neutral site contest of the season. Mount Olive has won the previous two meetings in the series against Newberry with the two sides scheduled to meet for another midweek contest next Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Wolves drop to 19-20 overall with a 2-4 mark against Conference Carolinas opponents.
In the top of the first, fifth-year
David Cucci drew a leadoff walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, senior
Alden Cottle laced an RBI single through the right side to take an early 1-0 lead. After a pair of scoreless innings, UMO added to its lead in the fourth behind an RBI single up the middle by senior
Joshua Kabayama before he later scored following a fielding error, 3-0.
Newberry rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning scoring four runs on three hits to take a 4-3 edge heading into the final frame. In the top of the ninth, Cucci delivered a leadoff single through the left side before senior
Dylan Jeffries produced a single to put runners on the corners with one out. Cottle poked an RBI single into right field to tie the contest and redshirt junior
Mike Kenney put the Trojans ahead with a sacrifice fly, 5-4. With two out, sophomore
Davis Halstead laced an RBI double down the left-field line before Kabayama ripped another RBI single up the middle, 7-4.
Cottle finished 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored, while Kabayama went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.
Mount Olive featured seven pitchers in the win, as senior
Justin Koehler took a no-decision after tossing 3.0 scoreless innings in the start with one strikeout. Junior
Aiken Minton, redshirt junior
Colbie Howell, and senior
Hayden Myrick combined for 4.0 scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts. Junior
Witt Branham earned the win (2-0) after recording the final out of the eighth while senior
Brian Robertson secured the save in the bottom of the ninth.
The Trojans return to Conference Carolinas play on Saturday, April 13, when they begin a three-game series at Barton with a doubleheader, starting at noon.
