CENTRAL, S.C. (Feb. 22) – On the shoulders of solid starts from fifth-year
John Horton and junior
Carson Gipson on the mound, the No. 9 University of Mount Olive baseball program secured a doubleheader sweep at Southern Wesleyan in Conference Carolinas action behind a 5-3 win in Game 1 and an 8-2 victory in Game 2.
With the sweep, the Trojans improve to 9-4 overall with a 4-1 mark in conference action. Mount Olive returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 23 for Game 3 of the series against SWU with a first pitch set for 2 p.m. Meanwhile, the Warriors drops to 2-12 this season behind a 1-4 record in league play.
In Game 1. Horton earned the win (2-0) after yielding one earned run on two hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 6.1 innings pitched (87 pitches). Over the last two starts, he has pitched beyond the six frame with only four total hits surrendered with six strikeouts. Freshman
Pete Honse surrendered two runs on one hit with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief. Graduate student
Hayden Myrick closed out the final frame with a pair of strikeouts.
UMO was able to score in the second inning off of a triple by redshirt senior
Mike Kenney with redshirt junior
Anthony Mitta sending him home off an RBI ground out. In the third inning, after a walk and an error by the pitcher put junior
Dawson Ables on third base, fellow junior
Lane McLean drove in the runner with ground out to the shortstop, 2-0. Continuing the offensive surge, UMO loaded the bases in the fourth frame before Ables laced a two-run double to left field to stretch the advantage to 4-0. Redshirt sophomore
Jon Howard nuked a solo homer to left field, his team-leading fifth of season, in top of the seventh to go ahead 5-0.
After being held scoreless for six innings, SWU was able to piece together a run in the seventh before scoring twice in the ninth. The UMO bullpen held off the comeback attempt to take Game 1 by a 5-3 margin.
Talley reached base three times with a double and two walks while scoring one run. Ables went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, one runs scored and a walk. Additionally, junior
Jakhari Howard delivered a multi-hit performance.
In Game 2, the Trojans were able to start off strong with a sacrifice fly from
Jon Howard to bring in McLean in the first inning, 1-0. The Warriors eventually were able to even up the score in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI ground out.
In the fourth inning, senior Wade Kelley ripped a two-run double to left field to bring home
Jakhari Howard and Talley to regain the lead, 3-1. McLean added to the advantage in the fifth with a solo homer to left field, his second of the season. Not trying to be out done, the Warriors also earned a free trip around the bases from a solo home run to left field, 4-2.
The Trojans went on an offensive tear in the seventh inning unleashing four runs off five hits with junior
Kayden Crawford hitting an RBI single to left field before
Jon Howard and Mitta each recorded an RBI double in the frame.
Jakhari Howard capped off the inning with an RBI single to right field to add another insurance run, 8-2.
McLean finished 2-for-4 with one RBI, and two runs scored while
Jakhari Howard registered another two-hit performance with one RBI, one run scored, a hit-by-pitch, and a stolen base. Kelly also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, one run scored, and a stolen base.
Junior
Carson Gipson claimed the win (1-2) after yielding two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5.0 innings pitched (84 pitches). Senior
Gavin Wilson closed out the contest with one strikeout and one walk in 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.
Mount Olive will conclude the series with Southern Wesleyan tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 23, with the first pitch at 2 p.m.
