Zak Orrison hits two home runs to help University of Mount Olive avoid a doubleheader sweep against Barton as the Trojans win the nightcap 8-2 after falling 8-4 in game one in Conference Carolinas baseball in Wilson, N.C. Four Trojans go deep in the doubleheader including two going long twice.
Game One: Mount Olive-4 Barton-8
Mount Olive (16-14 Overall, 8-8 Conference Carolinas) trailed early as Barton's (23-10, 11-5) Andrew Webster double home the game's first run in the first. Back-to-back RBI base hits in the third pushed the Bulldog lead to 3-0.
Nate Estes put Mount Olive on the board in the fifth with an RBI-single through the right side as Bradley Ragan scored. Brandon Day picked up a run all by himself with a home run to left and the Trojans trailed by one heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Barton pushed out further as a two RBI single in the seventh moved out to a 5-2 lead. The Bulldogs went on to add three runs in the bottom of the eighth and their six run lead appeared to be enough for the win, but not before the Trojans gave them a scare in the ninth.
Stephen Wallace and Joe Koehler led off the ninth with back-to-back home runs and drew to within four. Following a groundout Day drew a walk to give Mount Olive another runner. A double play however ended the Trojan threat in the ninth as the Mount Olive fell.
Brighton Hudson (3-2) picked up the loss on the hill as he allowed three runs, two earned, on 12 hits and struck out a pair.
Game Two: Mount Olive-8 Barton-2
In the nightcap, Mount Olive (17-14, 9-8) got the jump on the Bulldogs in the first. Brett Lang drew a two out walk to get things going for the Trojans. Wallace followed with an RBI-double to center and Lang scored for the first run of the night.
Barton (23-11, 11-6) countered in their half of the first as an RBI-double as well score the Bulldogs first run and the game tying run. The Bulldogs jumped out in front in the bottom of the third on a botched sacrifice bunt attempt as the throw from the Trojan pitcher sailed down the right field line and scored a run.
Koehler bounced back for Mount Olive as he continued to see the ball well as he picked up his second home run of the day in the top of the fourth to tie the game at two.
Mount Olive was able to break the tie in the fifth. Day singled down the left field line for the lead-off base hit. A sacrifice bunt by Estes moved him to second. After the second out was record via the strikeout, Zak Orrison joined the home run club with a bases clearing shot to left.
The Trojans broke the game open in the sixth as Ragan doubled home a run with one away. Day plated another on a sacrifice bunt. The final run came in on a throwing error by the Bulldog second baseman.
Orrison added one more run to solidify the win as he went deep for the second time in the game with a solo home run in the seventh.
Barton was unable to strike for a base runner in the bottom of the seventh as the Bulldogs were retired in order and the series was split.
Bruce Zimmerman (5-2) picked up the win as he went all seven innings allowing two runs off six hits and struck out six.
Mount Olive and Barton will complete the three game series Saturday at 1 p.m. in Wilson, N.C.