Game One: Mount Olive – 9 Pfeiffer -8
Koehler led the offense as his Grand Slam in the third lifted Mount Olive (5-3 Overall, 1-0 Conference Carolinas) past Pfeiffer (3-9, 0-1) 9-8 in game one of the double header.
The Falcons got on the boards early as a fielding error allowed a run to score and Pfeiffer went on top In the first.
It took Mount Olive until the third to break the game open. Alvin Swoop drew a one out walk to give the Trojans a base runner. Jack Sherrill reached on a fielder's choice that took out Swoop at second. Zak Orrison picked up the first base hit of the inning with a poke into left center and Sherrill advanced to third.
A double steal resulted in Sherrill being safe at the plate and the Trojans tied the game at one. Josh Black was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Brett Lang drew a walk to load the bases for Koehler. The Mount Olive first basemen drove a pitch over the right field wall and cleared the bases with a grand slam and the Trojans led 5-1.
Pfeiffer added two runs in the top of the fifth and a single run in the sixth to draw closer as the deficit went down to one.
Mount Olive in the bottom of the eighth looked to give themselves some cushion heading into the ninth.
Lang reached first on a throwing error by the shortstop to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Koehler drew a walk and moved Lang to second. Derek Deler dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but reached as the throw from the pitcher sailed into the Pfeiffer bullpen down the right field line. Koehler and Lang scored on the play and moved up to second as well.
Swoop drew a two out walk and Ricky Surum singled into right and brought home Deler and Swoop advanced to third. Orrison reached on an error by the Falcon pitcher and Swoop came in to score. A fly out ended the outburst by Mount Olive and the Trojans led 9-4.
Pfeiffer got a man on after a lead-off strikeout with a single up the middle by Tanner Matthis. Damon Smith came in to run for Matthis. Ryne Stanley doubled into left center for an RBI as Smith scored. Brannon Peters reached on a fielding error and Stanley scored on the play.
Peters took second on a wild pitch. Dylan Goodman drove Peters home with an RBI single to left. Austin Fox came in to run for Goodman and stole second on the next play. Jordan Eckard singled in center and Fox came around to score and the lead was cut down to 9-8. A fielder's choice ended the ball game as the Trojans managed to stop the bleeding and take the series opener.
Bruce Zimmerman (2-1) picked up the win for Mount Olive. He went five and a third allowing four runs off six hits and struck out five. Dario Santangelo (2) was credited with the save after he went one and two thirds.
Game Two: Mount Olive-3 Pfeiffer-1
In game two Mount Olive (6-3, 2-0) got off to the hot start in the bottom of the first. Orrison led off the game with a single through the left side. Mayo advanced Orrison to second with a sacrifice bunt. Lang with one away moved Orrison to third with a single to left center. Orrison finally came home as Koehler singled into right and also moved Lang to third. A wild pitch allowed Lang to score and Koehler to take second, however that was the final run as the side was retired in the first.
Pfeiffer (3-10, 0-2) struck back in the top half of the third. Perry singled through the left side. Eckard singled with one away and moved Perry to second. Zach Scudder drove home the Falcons first run with an RBI base hit through the left side. The Pfeiffer side was retired following the RBI base hit and the lead was cut to 2-1 UMO still on top.
Mount Olive added a run of an RBI double by Surum in the bottom of the fourth, which ended up being the final run of the game as the Trojans shut down the Falcons for the remainder of the game.
Austin Hutchinson (3-0) picked up the complete game win as he allowed one run off five hits and struck out nine.
Mount Olive will finish up the three game series against Pfeiffer Sunday with a single nine inning ball game slated for 1 p.m.