Jordy Farthing allowed only four hits in seven innings and Jose Serrano tossed two scoreless innings of relief as nationally 14th-ranked University of Mount Olive handed No. 7 Franklin Pierce University its first loss of the season, 6-5 Tuesday at Cary, N.C. The game was played at USA Baseball National Training Complex, site of the 2015 NCAA Division II Baseball National Finals, co-hosted by University of Mount Olive and Town of Cary.
Tuesday's win moved Trojan head coach Carl Lancaster to 998 career victories.
Mount Olive (19-6), which was the designated visiting team, trailed 5-4 going into the top of the eighth inning. After a walk, a hit batsman and a sacrifice put runners on second and third with one out, Kilgore Gailmard was intentionally walked to load the bases. Joe Koehler scored on a wild pitch and Bradley Ragan's pinch-hit line single to right against a drawn-in infield brought home Jason Morozowski with what proved to be the winning run.
Serrano took over to start the bottom of the eighth and retired the side in order on two groundouts and a strikeout. In the ninth, Serrano overcame a two-out double by Jay Jabs with a groundout to third to earn his first save of the season.
Mount Olive jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Joe Koehler doubled with one out and scored on Gailmard's rbi-single. Chris LeDuc also singled in a run in the inning.
Franklin Pierce (16-1) tied the game in the bottom of the third without benefit of a hit as the Ravens capitalized on an error, a walk and a wild pitch. Kurtis White scored after tagging up from third on a foul out just beyond the first base bag.
Farthing (2-1) held Franklin Pierce hitless until the top of the fourth when Matt Walsh beat out a slow roller to third. Chris LaVonga singled in a run and Matthew O'Herron scored on a groundout to short to give the Ravens a 4-2 lead.
Mount Olive put runners on second and third in the top of the fifth on back-to-back doubles by DeAndre Allen and Zak Orrison. Both runners came home on Morozowski's two-run single to tie the game 4-4.
Franklin Pierce took advantage of another Trojan miscue as John Razzino scored on a two-out infield error to put the Ravens back on top.
Farthing struck out four and walked three. Only two of his five runs allowed were earned.
The two teams conclude their two-game series Wednesday at Scarborough Field. First pitch is 6 p.m.