University of Mount Olive split a doubleheader with Erskine 4-3, 4-3 including a walk-off extra inning affair in game one. Derek Deler got the game-winning walk-off hit in the bottom of the tenth for Mount Olive.
Game One: Mount Olive-4 Erskine-3
Mount Olive (15-11 Overall, 8-5 Conference Carolinas) went down early in game one. Sam Cothran led off the game with a triple into the alley in right center for Erskine (23-10, 10-3). Chase Watts grounded out to second but the hit was deep enough to allow Cothran to score and the Flying Fleet took the early lead.
The Trojans had to wait until the bottom of the second before Mount Olive had a chance to plate the tying run. Stephen Wallace picked up an one out double down the left field line to give the Trojans a base runner. Derek Deler hit a shot off the pitcher as was able to beat the throw for an infield single and Wallace was able to come around to score and the game was knotted at one.
Neither team was able to plate a run for the next two and a half innings, until the Trojans rallied in the fifth. Ricky Surum led off the inning with a walk. Zak Orrison dropped down a sacrifice bunt and moved Surum to second. Brett Lang drove in the go ahead run with an RBI-single to right center. Mount Olive was unable to add any more in the fifth, but had the lead 2-1.
Erskine responded in the top half of the sixth as a ground out with runners on second and third by Tyler Phillips tied the game again at two. A home run by Watts gave the Flying Fleet the lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Orrison led off the seventh with a base hit up the middle. Jack Sherrill dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but an errant throw by the second baseman allowed Sherrill to reach and Orrison to take third. Lang grounded out but scored Orrison from third to tie the game at three.
The ballgame remained deadlocked at three heading into the bottom of the back. Mount Olive however was unable to plate the winning run and extra innings were need in game one.
A lead-off double by Henry Faunce put Erskine in motion. Rodney O'Neil came in to pinch run for Faunce and moved to third after a sacrifice bunt. Destin Nichols was intentional put on and then stole second to have two runners in scoring position with two away. The Flying Fleet were unable to plate a run as a strikeout ended the threat.
Joe Koehler led off the top of tenth with a single back up the middle. Wallace advanced Koehler to second with a sacrifice bunt. Deler picked up the walk-off game-winning hit as a misread by the Flying Fleet left fielder allowed the ball to roll to the wall for a double and Koehler came home to give Mount Olive the win.
Jesse Schullstrom (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win in a Trojan uniform, after being side lined with an injury last season. The senior pitched the final frame and picked up a strikeout to end the Flying Fleet threat in the top of the tenth.
Joe Johnson (5-4) was pinned with the loss for Erskine. Johnson went five complete and allowed two runs, one earned, off four hits and struck out five.
Game Two: Mount Olive-3 Erskine-4
Mount Olive (15-12, 8-6) in game two got the beat on the Flying Fleet in the bottom of the first. Orrison led off the inning with a single into left. Orrison then stole second. Following a fly out to left, Orrison attempted to steal third. The throw from the catcher, in an effort to throw out Orrison at third, hit off the shoulder of the batter Lang and sailed down the left field line in foul ground and Orrison scored the opening run.
The Flying Fleet fought back in the top of third. Kyle Heiss doubled to left center to lead off the inning. Tanner Lollis reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and with the errant throw Heiss scored. AJ Frabrizio picked up another base hit with a single up the middle and Lollis moved up to second.
Cothran singled down the right field line and the bases were loaded with no one away. Watts grounded into a double play, but Lollis was able to score. Faunce reached on a fielding error by the second baseman and another run scored to give Erskine a 3-1 lead.
Erskine (24-10, 11-3) added another run in the top of the fourth with an RBI-single by Heiss and the cushion for the Flying Fleet extended to three.
Mount Olive responded back in the bottom of the sixth. Sherrill gave the Trojans a base runner with a one out walk. Lang came up next and hit a ball to short and the play went to second but the throw was off the mark and went into the bull pen area down the right field line. Koehler came up with runners and second and third and promptly brought home both Lang and Sherrill with an RBI-single up the middle and the Trojans trailed 4-3.
The Trojans allowed a two out base hit in the top of the seventh but did not allow a run to score and set themselves up for another walk-off in the bottom of the seventh. Mount Olive was unable to put together a walk-off performance in the bottom of the seventh and the Trojans fell in game two.
Zimmerman (4-2) took the loss on the hill for Mount Olive. Zimmerman went the complete game surrendering four runs, two earned, off seven hits and struck out three.
Mount Olive and Erskine will determine the series finale Saturday at noon from Scarborough Field.