Alex Regan allowed no runs and only two hits over the final seven innings to overcome a rough start and toss his second consecutive nine-inning complete game as nationally second-ranked Mount Olive rallied from three runs down for a 6-5 win over Erskine in game one of a Conference Carolinas baseball doubleheader Saturday at Due West, S.C. Geno Escalante drove in the winning run in the top of the seventh.
The Trojans completed the sweep and extended their winning streak to a season-high 13 games with a 3-1 victory over the Flying Fleet in the second game. Mike Mercurio went 3-for-3 with a home run.
Mount Olive (35-4 overall, 14-3 Conference Carolinas) fell behind 5-2 after two innings in game one as Erskine (21-18, 8-11) erupted for three home runs. But Regan (9-1) saved a run by picking off a runner in the second and went on to retire 21 of the final 24 batters he faced. He retired the side in order in the third, fourth, seventh and ninth innings.
After Erskine scored three runs in the bottom of the first, Mount Olive answered with two in the second on Tyler Farmer's rbi-double and Zak Orrison's rbi-single. The Flying Fleet stretched their lead to 5-2 in the second before the Trojans rallied for three runs in the top of the third.
Bradon Reitano led off the inning with a single and eventually scored on an error. Mercurio and Bryan Dunlavey added rbi-singles to tie the game 5-5. In the seventh, Reitano walked with one out, advanced to third on an error and scored on Escalante's sacrifice fly to give Mount Olive its first lead and put the Trojans ahead to stay.
Chase Corn, Drew Willingham and Logan Galliher all homered for Erskine to give the Flying Fleet an early lead.
In the second game, Mercurio broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth with a leadoff home run, his fourth homer of the year. Daniel Oliver followed with a double and scored on Dunlavey's one-out rbi-single to give Mount Olive a 2-0 lead. The Trojans added a run in the top of the seventh as Matt Petrone reached on an error, stole second and scored on Reitano's rbi-single.
Erskine avoided the shutout in the seven-inning game on Will Huff's one-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh.
Trojan starting pitcher Matt Dillon (7-1) allowed seven hits in seven innings for the win.
Mount Olive returns to action Wednesday as the Trojans head to the site of the NCAA Division II National Finals to take on Saint Augustine's in a non-conference match-up. Game time is 6 p.m. at USA Baseball National Training Center in Cary, N.C. Mount Olive and Town of Cary will co-host the National Finals in May for the fifth straight year.