Jason Morozowski went 6-for-10 with six RBI to lead the No 20 University of Mount Olive to a doubleheader and series sweep of Erskine College 11-4, 16-4 Saturday afternoon in Due West, S.C. for Conference Carolinas baseball. Morozowski hit a three run home run in a six run fourth inning in game one.
Game One: Mount Olive 11 Erskine 4
Game one began as a pitching duel as the first 12 batters were set down in order. Mount Olive (27-9 Overall, 15-4 Conference Carolinas) broke open in the third as Brett Lang picked up the game's first hit with a single to left. Bretton Gouthro dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Lang to second. DeAndre Allen single into right and runners were at the corners with one away. Zak Orrison singled to right center and was tagged out as he attempted to stretch the single into extra bases; Lang however came home for the game's first run.
Kilgore Gailmard made sure one run was not all the Trojans got as he singled home Allen to give Mount Olive the early lead.
The lead expanded in the fourth as the Trojans' offense exploded. Rob Shipman with one away doubled to left center to get the first base runner. Lang singled to right and put runners at the corners. Gouthro singled past the shortstop for a run as Shipman scored and Lang went to second. Allen followed up with another base hit to load the bases. Orrison reloaded the bases as he reached on a fielder's choice that took the runner out at the plate. Gailmard's RBI-single made it a 5-0 game. Morozowski ended the scoring run in high fashion as he belted a ball around the left field foul pole for a three run home run.
The Trojans added three more runs in the seventh off of RBI base hits from Allen and Orrison.
Erskine (29-8, 15-5) threatened in the final frame. Zach Smith singled to start off the seventh. Two more base hits scored the first run for the Flying Fleet as Sam Cothran's single scored Smith. The bases became loaded after an error by the third baseman. Hanlon Maivelett singled down the left field line with still no one out for another RBI. After a fly-out, Andrew Kozak singled to left for the Fleet's third run of the inning. Brandon Overstreet grounded out to second and picked up the final RBI as Logan Galliher scored. A line out was the final out and Mount Olive held on to win game one.
Kodi Whitley (7-2) picked up the complete game victory. Whitley gave up four runs off six hits and struck out four.
Game Two: Mount Olive 16 Erskine 4
Game two did not have as much of pitching duel as game one did as Mount Olive (28-9, 16-4) picked up the first hit right out of the gate. A walk and a bunt single loaded the bases and Justin Manning drove home the first run with a sacrifice fly. The inning ended on a double play and stopped the Trojan threat.
Erskine (29-9, 15-6) also did not take as long to score as the Fleet came out swinging. A lead-off double by Overstreet and back-to-back groundouts moved him third. A wild pitch caused the first run for Erskine to score. Nichols singled to restart the offense and came home as Cothran doubled to left center. The threat ended with a pop out in foul territory.
Allen brought in a solo run in the second with a sacrifice fly.
Morozowski tried to get Mount Olive rolling in the third with a double down the right field line; however he was tagged out trying to stretch it into a triple. Manning singled safely to center and regained the momentum. Shipman reached on a fielder's choice that eliminated Joe Koehler who had previously walked. Lang double home Manning and moved Shipman to third. Gouthro followed suit as he singled into center and Shipman scored to move the Trojans ahead 5-2.
Mount Olive pushed four runs across in the sixth off RBI-singles from Morozowski and Manning as well as a double play. The next 10 batters were retired in order and set up another big inning for the Trojans in the eighth.
Seven runs came across in the inning as Manning, Gouthro, Orrison, and Gailmard all picked up RBI base hits. Lang picked up his RBI with a sacrifice fly and Morozowski batted around and scored a run on a fielder's choice. Seven runs came home off seven hits to put Mount Olive up comfortably 16-2.
Rodney O'Neal started off the final frame for Erskine by reaching first on an error by the third baseman. He then moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out. Brandon Wooten hit a ball far enough to score O'Neal with a sacrifice fly. Chris Moody was hit by a pitch and Connor Gibson singled to center to continue the threat. Derek Olenchuk singled through the right side and picked up the RBI as Moody scored. Two runs was all the Fleet could grab as a strikeout ended game two.
Derek Justice (6-1) picked up the win on the mound as he went seven complete and surrendered two runs off six hits and struck out three.
Mount Olive returns home to Scarborough Field Tuesday as the Trojans host Chowan University in a two game series beginning on April 7. First pitch Tuesday is set for 6 p.m.