CENTRAL, S.C. (Feb. 23) – After being limited to just five hits and stranding 11 runners on the base, the Trojans dropped the final game of the series versus Southern Wesleyan by a 6-2 margin on Sunday afternoon in Conference Carolinas action.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive baseball team falls to 9-5 this season behind a 4-2 record in league play. The Trojans ultimately secured their third series win of the season, including the opening two meetings of Conference Carolinas action. Meanwhile, Southern Wesleyan halts a five-game losing streak to improve to 3-12 overall with a 2-4 mark in conference play.
Junior
Lucas Glover had an outstanding start and took a no-decision while tossing 6.0 innings against the Warriors. He surrendered just one earned run on six hits behind a season-high eight strikeouts on Sunday.
After a scoreless first inning, junior
Tariq Talley delivered a double to right field with two outs in the second frame but was stranded in scoring position. In the bottom half of the inning, SWU took the lead with a solo homer to left-center, 1-0. The Trojans would leave three runners on base over the next two frames to remain down by a run.
The Trojans rallied in the sixth after two walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with no outs. During the next at-bat, redshirt junior
Anthony Mitta drew a five-pitch walk to record an RBI and tie the contest at 1-1. The Warriors escaped further damage with a pair of strikeouts and a ground out.
Junior
Lane McLean registered his second double of the game in the top of the seventh but was left stranded on third to keep the contest tied. Following a pitching change by UMO, Southern Wesleyan placed the initial two batters on base with a single and a hit-by-pitch. Mount Olive went to the bullpen again before the Warriors launched a go-ahead three-run homer to left field to take a 4-1 lead in the seventh. SWU added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth off three hits to extend the advantage to 6-1.
Mount Olive managed to score in the top of the ninth following an RBI single to right field by McLean with two outs, 6-2.
McLean finished the game 3-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI, and a stolen base.
Junior
Raleigh Walker suffered the loss (0-1) after yielding two earned runs on one hit with a hit-by-pitch. Graduate student
Hayden Myrick allowed one earned run on one hit with a strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief.
The Trojans return to the diamond on Tuesday, Feb. 25 to face Georgia College in a rematch from the 2024 NCAA Tournament in a neutral site contest in Lexington, South Carolina, starting at 4 p.m.
