Cody Britt and Zak Orrison each drove in four runs and the first nine Mount Olive batters all reached base in a 10-run sixth inning as the nationally second-ranked Trojans pulled away for a 22-5 victory over North Greenville in the final game of a three-game Conference Carolinas baseball series Monday at Scarborough Field. Trojan reliever Chris Orphanus allowed only one run and two hits in 4 2/3 innings, while Jermaine Berry and Tyler Farmer added three rbi's apiece as Mount Olive bounced back from an early deficit.
Mount Olive (13-1 overall, 2-1 Conference Carolinas) took a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth when the Trojans loaded the bases with nobody out on two walks sandwiched around Bryan Dunlavey's single. Leadoff batter Matt Petrone walked to bring home the first run and Orrison followed with a two-run single to extend the Trojans' lead to 12-5.
After a wild pitch advanced runners to second and third, Geno Escalante singled home a run and a second run scored on an errant throw to the plate. Escalante scored on a double by Daniel Oliver, who reached base in all five of his plate appearances. After Braden Reitano singled, Berry followed with a two-run double as the Trojans batted around without an out and stretched the lead to 17-5.
Berry went to third on a groundout, the first out of the inning, and scored on a wild pitch. Dunlavey walked and scored the final run of the inning on Britt's double to left, which came within inches of leaving the park.
North Greenville (4-7, 1-2) led 4-3 after 2 1/2 innings on Allen Staton's two-out rbi-double in the top of the first and his three-run homer in the third. Orphanos (3-0) took over for Trojan starter Derek Justice and retired the final two batters in the top of the third.
Orphanos overcame a leadoff single in the fourth with a 3-6 double play and survived Tyler Mitchell's one-out solo home run in the fifth. Josh Frederick and Licio Tamburlini each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the game.
Britt capped a three-run second inning with a two-run double and added a sacrifice fly in a three-run third inning to give Mount Olive a 6-4 lead. Farmer's two-run double earlier in the inning put the Trojans ahead to stay. Mount Olive added two runs in the fourth on Berry's sacrifice fly and Dunlavey's bases loaded walk. Oliver, who walked and scored in his first three plate appearances, singled home a run in the fifth before the Trojans broke the game open in the sixth.
Mount Olive collected 18 hits and drew 15 walks off of seven North Greenville pitchers. Berry and Farmer each added three rbi's. Berry and Orrison led the Trojans' hit parade with three hits apiece.
Mount Olive plays the last of 12 consecutive home games Thursday as the Trojans play host to Saint Augustine's in non-conference action. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was pushed back due to a 70 percent chance of rain. Game time is 2:30 p.m. at Scarborough Field.