Jack Sherrill's base hit in the bottom of the ninth lifted the University of Mount Olive over Armstrong State 6-5 in non-conference baseball in Sumter, S.C. Wednesday night. Trojans battle back down by five to win the game in the final frame.
Mount Olive (9-6) needed some late inning heroics to come away with the road win against Armstrong (9-10) as the bottom to the ninth started off with a lead-off walk to Nate Estes. Julian Santos dropped down a bunt and beat out the throw and Estes advanced to second.
Another sacrifice bunt was attempted but hit off the top of the bat and a pop out recorded the first out. Sherrill however came through in the clutch as a base hit to center was deep enough to score Estes and the trojans walked off with the win.
Early in the first part of the game Armstrong State brought in the game's first run off a sacrifice fly to center and took the game's first run.
Armstrong continued to extend the lead in the top of the sixth as JT Phillips pushed across Will Austin who reached earlier in the inning on a bunt single. Spencer Harvey drove in two more with an RBI single to left. Will Browning used a sacrifice fly to bring in the final run of the inning and pushed the lead out to 5-0.
The Trojans bounced back in the bottom half as Brett Lang reached with a one out single to right. Estes followed right behind him with a single to right as well and Lang took third. An error allowed Santos to reach first and Lang came in to score.
A walk to Sherrill loaded the bases for Ricky Surum. Surum delivered a two RBI-single down the left field line as Estes and Santos scored. After a double steal, Zak Orrison picked up a two-RBI single to center that brought home the tying run and the game was knotted at five.
Mount Olive had the go ahead run in scoring position in the seventh after three walks, but a fly out ended the threat and the Trojans looked for and found the winning hit in the final frame.
The Trojans have a short rest but will remain on the road as they remain in South Carolina to take on North Greenville in a three game series beginning Friday and concluding with a doubleheader Saturday.