No. 12 University of Mount Olive used a 10 run seventh inning to take the series finale 22-2 and split a double header with Belmont Abbey College on Saturday for Conference Carolinas baseball in Belmont, N.C. Joe Koehler was just a double shy of the cycle.
Game One: Mount Olive - 2 Belmont Abbey - 4
Mount Olive (34-12 Overall, 18-7 Conference Carolinas) and Belmont Abbey (23-19, 16-10) exchange home runs as Anthony Dimino and Jason Morozowski homered in the 1st and fourth innings respectfully.
The Crusaders took the lead in the fourth off an Kevin Elefante RBI-single to right center. Belmont Abbey padded two more runs in the fifth with an RBI-double by Kayden Krause and a RBI-single by Dimino.
Koehler picked up his first home run of the day when he lifted a pitch to right center in the top of the sixth and put the Trojans down two. Mount Olive was unable to make a rally in the seventh as the Trojans were retired in order.
Derek Justice (7-2) picked up the loss on the mound as he went the entire game and allowed four runs off 10 hits and struck out six.
Matt Davenport (7-3) got the win as he also went the entire game but only allowed two runs off five hits and struck out four.
Game Two: Mount Olive - 22 Belmont Abbey – 2
Zak Orrison started off the first inning in game two for Mount Olive (35-12, 19-7) with a lead-off walk. The Trojans did not register a hit until seven batters later as the previous six batters were walked to start off the game. With one away Grant Tyndall picked up the first hit and cleared the bases with an RBI-double to left field and Mount Olive led 5-0.
Belmont Abbey (23-20, 16-11) scored its first run in the third but the Trojans quickly countered in the fourth, fifth, and sixth as they scored at least two runs in each of those innings.
The seventh inning proved to be the final blow as the offense exploded in a big way. After a walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases, Koehler belted his third home run of the day and second of game two as he picked up a grand slam home run. RBI-doubles by Stephen Wallace and Morozowski plated three more runs for Mount Olive. The other two runs of the inning came off of a ground out and a wild pitch.
With a commanding lead Dario Santangelo squashed any hopes of a comeback as he retired the side in order in the ninth and finished the night with back-to-back strikeouts.
Kodi Whitley (8-3) picked up the win. He went six complete and surrendered one run off three hits and struck out six.
Robert Taft (3-2) took the loss as he did not make it out of the first inning and allowed five runs off no hits and walked six.
Mount Olive will have the rest of the week off before the Trojans head to Burlington, N.C. for the Conference Carolinas baseball tournament set to begin Thursday.