MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 9) – Redshirt sophomore
Jon Howard blasted a walk-off solo homer over the scoreboard in right-center in the bottom of the ninth, as the No. 21 ranked University of Mount Olive baseball program secured the series victory over Lander on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the Trojans improve to 5-2 overall with a 3-1 record at Scarborough Field this season. Mount Olive picks up a massive Southeast Region series win early in the season while playing one of the toughest schedules to begin the year. Meanwhile, Lander falls to 2-5 this season after being selected second in the preseason Peach Belt Conference (PBC) poll.
Mount Olive established a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from
Jon Howard. The sides went scoreless over the next two frames before Lander cut into the deficit in the top of the fourth to trail by a 2-1 margin. The Bearcats grabbed the lead in the top of the fifth after scoring on a bases-loaded double play and an RBI double to right-center, 3-2.
In the top of the seventh, Lander extended its lead to 4-2 with an infield RBI single before making a call to the bullpen in the bottom of the eighth. The Trojans took advantage of the pitching change, scoring five runs on one hit while capitalizing on a pair of errors. A hit-by-pitch and a pair of walks loaded the bases with one out before a wild pitch trimmed the deficit to 4-3. Another walk reloaded the bases and redshirt senior
Mike Kenney laced a two-run single to center field to take the lead by a 5-4 margin. With two outs, the Trojans once again loaded the bases on a walk before a fielding error and hit-by-pitch tacked two more runs on the board, 7-4.
The Bearcats answered in the top of the ninth with three runs on two hits to tie the contest, 7-7. In the bottom half of the frame,
Jon Howard belted an opposite-field solo homer over the scoreboard in right-center, which traveled 411 feet, to secure the walk-off victory for the Trojans, 8-7.
Jon Howard finished 2-for-4 with a solo homer, two RBIs, two runs scored, and one walk. Junior
Lane McLean reached base four times following a double and three hit-by-pitches.
Graduate student
Hayden Myrick was awarded the win (2-0) after surrendering three runs (one earned) on two hits with one strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief. Junior
Dawson Ables tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with one strikeout in his first appearance of the season. Junior
Lucas Glover took a no-decision in the start after yielding one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 4.0 innings.
The Trojans will begin Conference Carolinas play on Saturday, Feb. 15 with a doubleheader against Francis Marion to start a three-game series at Scarborough Field, starting at 1 p.m.
