Justin Manning went 2-for-3 with a three run home run to lead the No. 4 University of Mount Olive to an 12-4 victory and series sweep of Limestone College Sunday afternoon for Conference Carolinas baseball at Scarborough Field in Mount Olive, N.C. The Trojans were also lifted by home runs by Joe Koehler and Brett Lang.
Mount Olive (17-3 Overall, 8-0 Conference Carolinas) surrendered the first run of the game as Limestone's (4-16, 0-9) Kyle Booth doubled down the left field line with two away. Dan Smith drove him in with an RBI-single through the left side and the Saints jumped out first.
It took some time for the Trojans offensive to get rolling but when they did they exploded. In the fourth inning Koehler lead off the inning with a solo home run to tie the game. With one away Lang hit an opposite field home run to right and gave Mount Olive the lead 2-1. DeAndre Allen drew a walk and stole second on the next pitch. Zak Orrison singled to the shortstop and Allen held at second. Kilgore Gailmard brought in Allen with a single to left center.
Jason Morozowski followed with a single to right center and Orrison scored. A third straight RBI-single drove in Gailmard as Rob Shipman connected and drove a pitch out to center. Justin Manning brought home the sixth run as he drove a ball out to dead center field for a sacrifice fly and Mount Olive used a six run inning to pull ahead 6-1.
Mount Olive put the game out of reach with another multiple run scoring inning in the sixth. Orrison led off with a single up the middle and stole second on the next pitch. Gailmard doubled him home and was in scoring position for Morozowski. The Trojan center fielder doubled as well and scored Gailmard. After a walk to Shipman and a wild pitch put runners on second and third Manning came up again. Manning hit a moon shot to right field and watched it sail for a bases clearing three-run home run to put the Trojans up 11-1.
Limestone fought back in the eighth as they put across three runs off RBI-singles from Khari Anderson, Ian Hinson, and Kyle Morella. The Saint were able to get a runner on in the ninth but Mount Olive shut the door and took the series sweep.
Derek Justice (3-0) picked up the win after tossing seven complete and allowing one run off three hits and struck out five.
Jose Rondon (1-3) was credited with the loss. He went three and a third and gave up four runs off four hits and struck out four.
Mount Olive hits the road for a single away contest against Armstrong State on Tuesday before returning home for a weekend series against arch rival Barton College. Game time for Tuesday is set for 6 p.m.