Joe Koehler drove in two runs and helped turn two of three double plays as nationally 16th-ranked University of Mount Olive clinched its 10th consecutive 30-win season and extended its current winning streak to 11 games with a 12-2 victory over Chowan University in non-conference baseball Wednesday at Scarborough Field.
Mount Olive starter Hunter Barnett, who went four innings, ran into trouble in the first inning when Chowan (14-18) loaded the bases with one out. Barnett induced a ground ball to Koehler at third and the Trojans went around the horn for an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Barnett struck out the side in the second inning and got a 4-6-3 double play in the third as shortstop DeAndre Allen's throw to first just beat the runner. Chowan loaded the bases again in the fourth, but Koehler stepped on the bag on a grounder to third and catcher Justin Manning put the tag on at the plate for the rare fielder's choice/double play.
Bretton Gouthro's two-run single highlighted a three-run second inning as Mount Olive took a 4-0 lead. Kilgore Gailmard hit a two-run double in the fourth and the Trojans went on to add two more in the fifth and three in the sixth for an 11-1 lead.
Ethan Horne (1-0), the second of six Trojan pitchers, was credited with the win. Horne pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three.
Tuesday night, Mount Olive defeated Chowan 16-4 as Koehler's two-run triple and Jason Morozowski's two-run single highlighted a seven-run eighth inning.
Mount Olive resumes Conference Carolinas action this weekend as the Trojans play host to North Greenville in a three-game series at Scarborough Field. The two teams play a single game Friday at 6 p.m. and a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon. Friday's game is sponsored by Bojangle's.