LEXINGTON, S.C. (Feb. 25) – Junior
Jakhari Howard tied an NCAA Division II record with two grand slams in a single game, as the No. 9 ranked University of Mount Olive baseball program rolled past Georgia College by a 14-3 margin in non-conference action at the Lexington County Baseball Stadium.
With the win, the Trojans improve to 10-5 overall after scoring a season-high 14 runs on 11 hits with a trio of homers. UMO snaps a five-game skid in the series with Georgia College with the two sides meeting three times last year, including twice in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the Bobcats fall to 5-10 this season while dropping to 0-3 against Conference Carolinas opponents.
In the bottom of the first inning, UMO loaded the bases on three straight walks with two outs before
Jakhari Howard belted a grand slam to left field to take an early 4-0 lead. In the next frame, the Trojans added to their advantage behind a solo homer to right field by junior
Kayden Crawford and another grand slam from
Jakhari Howard, 9-0.
Mount Olive brought across two additional runs in the bottom of the third as redshirt sophomore
Jon Howard laced an RBI double to left field before redshirt senior
Mike Kenney hit an RBI single to center field, 11-0. The Bobcats cut into the deficit in the top of the fourth with two runs on three hits to trail by an 11-2 margin. The Trojans added three insurance runs in the bottom half after scoring a pair of fielder's choice errors and an RBI double from Crawford, 14-2. Georgia College registered its final run in the top of the seventh following a sacrifice fly to center field.
Jakhari Howard finished 2-for-3 with two grand slams, eight RBIs, three runs scored, and two walks. Crawford went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, two RBIs, and one run scored, while Mitta tallied two hits, two runs scored, and one walk.
Junior
Raleigh Walker earned the win (1-1) after yielding two earned runs on three hits with a trio of strikeouts over 2.1 innings pitched. Freshman
Pete Honse made his first career start and tossed 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and one hit surrendered. Redshirt junior
Lane Roberson, freshman
John Nelson McLamb, senior
Witt Branham, and senior
Matt Poole each pitched 1.0 scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Mount Olive will begin a three-game series against Emmanuel on Friday, Feb. 28, with a single nine-inning game starting at 3 p.m.
