SALISBURY, N.C. (March 18) – In a matchup featuring a pair of nationally-ranked opponents, the No. 8 ranked Trojans were unable to hold off a late comeback by No. 19 Catawba in a 5-2 loss on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive baseball program drops to 19-9 overall with a 4-4 record on the road this season. The Catawba Indians sweep the season series over the Trojans with both wins coming by a 5-2 margin. Meanwhile, Catawba improves to 20-7 this year behind a 9-2 record at Newman Park.
Following three scoreless frames, redshirt senior
Mike Kenney led off the fourth with a double down the left-field line before advancing to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, junior
Ryder Hancock laced an RBI single to left-center to get on the board, 1-0. Mount Olive added to its lead in the top of the fifth as a double, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch would load the bases with two outs. Redshirt junior
Garrett Moffett drew a walk during the next at-bat to record an RBI and extend the lead, 2-0.
Catawba cut into the deficit in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer to right field, but the Trojans avoided further damage after escaping a bases-loaded situation, 2-1. In the bottom of the eighth, the Catawba Indians rallied with four runs on five hits, highlighted by a two-run double to left-center to grab a 5-2 advantage. Mount Olive was retired in order in the ninth to suffer the midweek loss on the road.
Junior
Lane McLean finished 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored and one walk. Kenney went 1-for-3 with a double and one run scored.
Junior
Lucas Glover took a no-decision after yielding zero runs on two hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 4.0 innings pitched (81 pitches). Redshirt junior
Lane Roberson surrendered one run on two hits with one strikeout in 2.0 innings while fifth-year
Trey Deutsch tossed 1.0 inning of scoreless relief. Graduate student
Hayden Myrick suffered the loss (2-1) after allowing four runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth.
The Trojans return to Scarborough Field tomorrow, March 19, to face Virginia State in non-conference play at 3 p.m.
