No. 14 University of Mount Olive dropped a doubleheader 4-3, 5-2 to King University Saturday afternoon in Bristol, Tenn. for Conference Carolinas baseball. The Trojans rallied in the ninth inning of game one but came up short.
Game One Mount Olive 3 King 4
Mount Olive (19-8 Overall, 9-3 Conference Carolinas) surrendered the first runs of the game to King (12-13, 7-5) in the bottom of the first inning as Jose Sola got the first of three straight two-out doubles to give the Tornado an early 2-0 lead.
The Trojans struck back in the fourth as Justin Manning reached with a one out single to center. Kilgore Gailmard moved Manning to third as he doubled into left center. Rob Shipman drove home the first run on an RBI-groundout. No more runs were allowed as a groundout ended the top of the fourth with King ahead, 2-1.
Moises Soto singled to start the bottom of the fourth for King. He ended up on third after a sacrifice bunt and a single to third put runners on the corners. Joe Ganger grounded out but picked up the RBI as Soto scored.
For King in the bottom of the seventh the Tornado added an insurance run. Douglas singled to center with two away. He moved to second on a throwing error by the Trojan catcher. Ganger singled into left field to bring home Douglas on the RBI base hit.
Mount Olive made the game interesting in the top of the ninth as Shipman singled to lead off. Grant Tyndall came in to run for Shipman and moved to second after a walk to Dario Santangelo. Brett Wallace singled to left field to load the bases with one away. After a strikeout, Zak Orrison singled into right field and plated two as Santangelo and Tyndall scored. The Trojans were unable to bring the tying run home as the offensive threat ended with a strikeout and Mount Olive fell in game one.
Kodi Whitley (5-2) took the loss for Mount Olive. Whitley went eight complete and allowed four runs, three earned, off 13 hits and struck out seven.
Heath Loyd (3-1) picked up the win for King as he went seven complete and allowed one run off five hits and struck out five. Nathan Helke (7) got the save in the ninth as he allowed two runs off three hits and struck out two.
Game Two Mount Olive 2 King 5
Manning leads the Trojans to a doubleheader split against King University in game two.
Orrison led off the first inning for Mount Olive (19-9, 9-4) with a walk. After Orrison stole second he moved to third on a groundout by Gailmard. Manning drove in the first run of the game with a double and the Trojans took the early lead.
King (13-13, 8-5) answered in the bottom of the second with an RBI-single by Preston Douglas to left center and the game was tied. The Trojans added a run in the top of the third. Gailmard tripled with one out and Manning brought him home on a sacrifice fly to right to regain the lead for Mount Olive.
King's offense exploded in the fifth. Douglas drew a walk to lead off the inning. Granger reached on an error by the pitcher and Douglas moved to second. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk the bases were loaded with one away. Sola lined out and brought home a run in Douglas. Ryan Whitt came up and on the first pitch of the at bat cleared the bases with a three run home run to left and the Tornado regained the lead 5-2.
In the top of the seventh Stephen Wallace began a counter attack for the Trojans with a single to right. He was taken out on a fielder's choice and Tyndall took first. DeAndre Allen then reached on a fielding error by the second baseman and Tyndall moved to second. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two away but the Trojans were unable to plate a run and dropped in game two.
Derek Justice (4-1) took the loss on the mound for the Trojans. He went five and a third and allowed five runs, one earned, off eight hits and struck out four.
Matt Jackson (1-0) picked up the win in relief. He went three complete and gave up one run off one hit. Helke (8) came in the seventh to close the game and allowed one hit and struck out one.
Mount Olive will conclude the three game series with a single game Sunday, in Bristol, Tenn. Game time is set for 1 p.m.