MOUNT OLIVE, NC – The Trojans celebrated their Senior Day by improving to 26-18 overall and 18-12 in conference play with one week left in the regular season, sweeping Shorter with a 3-1 win in Game 1 and a 12-7 victory in Game 2.  

Shorter grabbed the lead with an unearned run in the first inning, but the Trojans immediately answered when Lane McLean scored on an error, tying the game at 1-1. From there, pitchers battled, and Aidan Newton seized control on the mound.

Mount Olive broke the tie in the fourth as Ryder Hancock scored on a balk, putting the Trojans ahead 2-1. They padded the lead in the sixth when Hancock doubled and crossed home on an RBI single from Mac James.

Newton dominated throughout, pitching a complete game, yielding just four hits and one unearned run while striking out nine to clinch the 3-1 win. Newton now owns the team's best ERA, an impressive 2.90.

The Trojans jumped ahead early in Game 2, scoring three runs in the first inning. Rowan Watt drove home the opening run, and Hancock delivered a two-run double, giving Mount Olive a quick 3-0 lead.

Propelled by a strong start from Pete Honse, Mount Olive built its advantage. The Trojans moved ahead 4-0 in the third after Mac James drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. In the fourth, Watt delivered a pivotal three-run double for his team-leading 20th of the season, Hancock followed with an RBI triple, and Kayden Crawford capped the scoring with his 3rd  sacrifice fly of the season, pushing the lead to 9-0.

Mount Olive tacked on three more runs in the fifth and sixth innings, with Watt driving in two and Josh Mason contributing another RBI to stretch the lead to 12-0.

Shorter rallied late, scoring in the seventh and eighth innings before erupting for five runs in the ninth. They capitalized on an error and a two-run home run from Reece Newberry to cut the deficit to 12-7.

Honse controlled the game for six shutout innings, allowing four hits while striking out six. The Trojan bullpen deployed Lucas Glover, J.J. DeVos, Colin Athey, Matt Schepel, Carter Daniels, and Mike Walsh to close out the sweep.  

The Trojans enter their last week of the regular season as they face Newberry in Florence, SC, with the game scheduled for 3:00 PM.