Jay Gonzalez breaks the single season stolen base record, as he took three bags to push his season total to 42 in his way to help the nationally 19th-ranked University of Mount Olive take a doubleheader sweep of Wingate University Tuesday night in non-conference baseball at Wingate, N.C. Gonzalez was 3-for-5 with an RBI in game one and 1-for-2 with two runs scored in an extra innings battle in the nightcap.
Game One- Mount Olive: 10 Wingate: 6
Mount Olive (28-11 Overall) fought back to plate two runs in the seventh to take away a possible comeback victory for Wingate (24-13) in the first game. Chase Edwards hit a two-run home run in the seventh to solidify the win for the Trojans in game one.
The Trojans got the bats swinging first in the second. After a line out to the right fielder three straight walks to Justin Manning, DeAndre Allen, and Cody Britt loaded the bases in a good spot for Mount Olive. Zak Orrison came through with the run scoring RBI single up the middle that scored two in Allen and Manning to put Mount Olive on the board first. Gonzalez one out later drove in the third and final run with another single back up the middle as Britt came home.
Mount Olive continued to attack in the third. Rob Shipman with one away singled to left field to set up the offensive for the Trojans. Willi Martin was hit by a pitch and the next play both him and Shipman advanced on a wild pitch. Manning singled down the right field line and drove in two more and Shipman and Martin scored.
The sixth saw much of the same from the Trojans as they added more runs. Orrison singled through the left side to lead off. Gonzalez attempted to bunt Orrison over but he used his speed to beat the throw and pick up the single. Edwards singled up the middle to load the bases with no one out.
Bradon Reitano brought home the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly RBI to center as Orrison tagged up. Gonzalez tied the record book with 40 stolen bases an out later, as a double steal was successful and Martin drove in Gonzalez and Edwards with a double down the left field line as the Trojans now led 8-0.
Wingate's offensive woke up in the sixth as six came across in the inning. Thomas Spitz singled through the left side with one out. Josh Clark followed up a single through the left side also. Bill Krebs came in to pinch hit for Blake Prince and singled as well but through the right side to load the bases. Brad Cherry singled into left center and brought in two as Clark and Spitz came in. Tyler Simmons doubled home a run to right center and Krebs scored. Another base hit by Wingate off the bat of Justin Somers scored two in Simmons and Cherry.
After another double put runners at second and third Shane Billings knocked in the final run of the big inning by the home nine as the groundout allowed Somers to hit home plate for the sixth run making it 8-6.
The Trojans looked to put some insurance runs on in the seventh. As the Mount Olive team has been known for this season with two out base hits. Gonzalez continued to add to the total as with two men down he came through with a drag bunt single to third. Edwards came up and unloaded on a ball to left field and gave the Trojans two more runs to work with going into the final three outs.
Four runs seemed to be too much to overcome in the seventh and Mount Olive took game one 10-6.
Jordy Farthing (5-0) remained perfect on the season notching win number five in the opener. He went five and a third giving up five runs off eight hits and struck out two. Zach Bernard (4) picked up the save as he threw an inning and two thirds giving up just a solo hit and striking out one as well.
Brett Morgan (2-2) picked up the loss as he went four and two thirds giving up five runs off eight hits and added one strikeout.
Game Two- Mount Olive: 2 Wingate: 1
Mount Olive gets the go ahead run in the eighth as extra innings were need in the night cap in Wingate as late inning heroics by Luke Barry gave the Trojans the sweep of the Bulldogs 2-1. Gonzalez also breaks the single season stolen base record in game two.
No runs were scored until the fifth inning and Wingate cracked the run column first. Somers singled to lead off with a shot through the left side. Krebs bunted Somers over on the sacrifice. Matthew Barrier drew a one out walk and a single by Shane Billings into left field scored the first run of the game as Somers came in from third.
The Trojans (29-10) scored the tying run in the sixth in an unfortunate way. Gonzalez singled through the left side to lead off the frame. Edwards was hit by a pitch and then Reitano was walked to load the bases. A double play ball eliminated to batters but did allow Gonzalez to tie the game at one.
Neither team could bring in the go ahead run in regulation so they went to extra innings to decide a victor.
Gonzalez was able to get on base to lead off the eighth after an eight pitch battle. On the next batter Gonzalez added his name to the record books as he stole his 41st bag of the season surpassing previous record holders Antonio Callaway (40) 2012 (42 attempts) and David Cooper (40) 2006 (48 attempts). Gonzalez achieved his mark in 46 attempts. One batter later, Gonzalez added one more bag to his new record as he stole third on a strikeout and now stood with 42 stolen bases on the season.
Shipman walked and Barry came in to pinch hit for Martin and delivered the key hit in the game as he drove in Gonzalez from third on a double down the left field line and UMO regained the lead for good.
Wingate (24-14) was unable to make a comeback in the bottom half as the Josh Frederick punched out two and got a groundout to end the ball game and Mount Olive took game two 2-1 and took the sweep of the Bulldogs.
Frederick (4-1) in his first start of the season picked up the win for the Trojans as he went all the way to pick up the win and the complete game; also the first of the season. In his eight innings of work Frederick allowed just one run off seven hits and struck out six.
Tyler Brown (2-2) got pinned with the loss as he came in the sixth and pitched the remainder. For Brown he allowed one run off two hits and struck out three.
The wins push the Mount Olive win streak to 13 games heading back into Conference Carolinas play this weekend at Scarborough Field as Belmont Abbey comes to two for a three game series starting Friday at 6 p.m. Games two and three of the series will be played on Saturday the game is set to have first pitch at 12 p.m. all in Mount Olive, N.C.