Kilgore Gailmard went 2-for-5 with a home run in the first to lift the No. 28 University of Mount Olive to a 9-4 win over No. 12 Catawba College Monday night at Scarborough in Mount Olive, N.C. for non-conference Baseball. The Trojans plated a pair of three run innings to secure the win over the Indians.
Mount Olive (35-14) hit the scoreboard first in the bottom half of the first. Gailmard came up with one away and crushed a 1-1 fastball to dead right field to give the Trojans the early lead.
Catawba (40-13) struck back in the second as Craig Brooks tripled to lead off the inning. Brooks scored on a wild pitch and tied the game. Dylan Richardson singled back up the middle to continue the attack. Luke Setzer was hit by a pitch with one away and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Blake Houston was intentionally walked to load the bases and Bryce Fowler doubled down the right field line and scored two to give the Indians a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
The Trojans responded with their own three spot in the bottom half. Bret Lang singled to start off the inning. Grant Tyndall drew a two out walk and moved to third on an RBI-single that scored Lang by Zak Orrison. Gailmard then reached on a throwing error by the Catawba shortstop, as the ball sailed into right field and two men scored and Mount olive regained the lead 4-3.
After a 1-2-3 top of the third, Mount Olive scored a solo run on a wild pitch in the bottom half. The Trojans however did not let up as they plated a few more runs in the fifth. Justin Manning singled to lead off. Joe Koehler followed suit with a single into right and Manning took third. Lang scored Manning on a sacrifice fly to center. Koehler stole second and Rob Shipman was walked to set up Stephen Wallace. Another Indian error allowed a run to score. The final run came across with a sacrifice fly by Tyndall and Mount Olive went up 7-3.
Catawba was able to plate a run in the top of the seventh, however that was all Mount Olive surrendered as Dario Santangelo shut down the Indians in the ninth to close out the game.
Gunnar Kines (8-2) picked up the win as he went seven complete and allowed four runs off 10 hits and struck out eight. Santangelo was perfect in the ninth as he struck out two to seal the win for Mount Olive.
Connor Johnson (5-1) got his first loss on the season as he allowed five runs off four hits in just two and a thirds innings pitched.
Mount Olive has one final game to play on Wednesday against Francis Marion at Scarborough field. The game has post-season regional implications with it. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. on Wednesday.