CARY, N.C. (March 15) – Following a late comeback in Game 2 of the series, the University of Mount Olive baseball program salvaged a doubleheader split versus UNC Pembroke in Conference Carolinas play at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
With the split, the Trojans stand at 19-8 this season with an 11-4 record in league play. Mount Olive dropped its first Conference Carolinas series of the year but remains atop the league standings. Meanwhile, UNC Pembroke moves to 16-10 overall behind a 6-6 mark in conference action.
UMO fell behind early to UNCP in the second inning with two runs off of three hits, including a solo homer to left field. The Braves continued to step on the gas in the fourth inning, scoring one run off of a sac bunt and some savvy base running. Mount Olive rubbed some dirt on its hands in the top of the seventh inning and got to work. Junior
Lane McLean reached on an error before fellow junior
Kayden Crawford could push him up the bases with a single to right center. Stepping up to the occasion with two outs was none other than redshirt sophomore
Jon Howard, who belted a shot over the fence in left field, bringing three runs home and tying up the game.
Taking advantage of a pitching change in the ninth inning, the Trojans continued to pour on the runs and take the lead off a solo homer by
Jon Howard, his second of the day and ninth of the season. Redshirt senior
Mike Kenney followed this up by getting on base and being driven home by a double from redshirt junior
Garrett Moffett up the right-field line. Unable to answer in the bottom of the inning, the Braves conceded the loss on a strike out looking.
Jon Howard finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, four runs batted in, and one hit-by-pitch. Moffett went 2-for-5 with one run batted in against the Braves.
Redshirt junior
Lane Roberson earned the win (1-0) after tossing 2.0 scoreless innings of relief with one strikeout. Graduate student
Hayden Myrick gets his sixth save of the season facing three batters with one strikeout.
In Game 3 of the series, Mount Olive established a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI fielder's choice by Kenney with the bases loaded. The Braves proceeded to bring across four runs on six hits in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 advantage. UNCP added to its lead in the bottom of the third after scoring three runs on two hits, 7-1. UNC Pembroke eventually climbed ahead 8-1 with an RBI single through the left side in the bottom of the fifth.
The Trojans tried to rally in the top of the sixth with one run scored off of an RBI ground out from junior
Ryder Hancock to bring in Kenney, 8-2. UMO was ultimately retired in order in the seventh to suffer the loss.
The Trojans featured six pitchers, as junior
Lucas Glover suffered the loss (1-1) after yielding four earned runs off six hits while facing eight batters.
The Trojans will travel to face Catawba in non-conference play on March 18 in Salisbury, starting at 3 p.m.
