The nationally fifteenth-ranked University of Mount Olive was unable to mount a comeback against the fourth-ranked Lander University Bearcats and dropped a nine inning non-conference battle 5-2 in Greenwood, S.C. Tuesday night. Jay Gonzales had the team high with two hits and an RBI.
The Bearcats (17-2) got on the board first as Erik Lunde drew the lead-off walk. A one out single by Connor Lewis down the left field line advanced Lunde to third. Thomas Berry knocked in the opening run with a sacrifice fly to left field and Lander was on the board.
Mount Olive (12-7) who had been held to just one hit through five innings got the bats rolling in the sixth. Cody Britt led the inning off with a double down the left field line. Zak Orrison reached on a fielding error by the pitcher as he slide to his knees but mishandled the ball and Orrison was safe. Jay Gonzales brought home the first Trojan run with an RBI single as Britt scored. DeAndre Allen bunted Gonzales and Orrison over on the sacrifice and the Trojans had runners at third and second.
The Bearcats intentionally put on Bradon Reitano and the bases were loaded with just one out. However, the Trojans could not get the go ahead run across as a strikeout and a fly out ended the threat.
Lander answered in the bottom half as Graham Ramos doubled into right field with one out. Austin Dunn's RBI-single to left center was deep enough to bring in Ramos and the Bearcats took back the lead 2-1.
The Bearcats added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh as Lunde and Patrick Grady reached on back-to-back throwing errors by the Trojans. Lewis dropped down a sacrifice bunt and moved the runners to second and third. Ramos got a two out two RBI-single into left field and allowed Grady and Lunde to cross.
The Trojans mounted a comeback in the eighth as Rob Shipman got on with a two out walk in the eighth. Will Bynum came in to pinch run for Shipman and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Chase Edwards singled to left field and advanced to second on the throw home as Bynum scored. Edwards advanced to third on the second wild pitch of the inning however that was as close as the Trojans got to taking over the lead as Lander shut Mount Olive down for the remainder of the eight and the Ninth.
Mount Olive returns to action tomorrow as they host St. Augustine's University in a single game that was postponed earlier in the season due to weather. First pitch at Scarborough Field is set for 6 p.m.