University of Mount Olive split a doubleheader with Belmont Abbey College Saturday afternoon from Scarborough Field. The Trojans won game one 8-4 and fell in extra innings 3-2. Zak Orrison breaks the career stolen base record in game one.
Game One: Mount Olive 8 Belmont Abbey 4
The first game at Scarborough Field was plagued with rain to start the game as first pitch did not happen until 40 minutes past the scheduled start time of 6 p.m. Mount Olive (25-17 Overall, 16-9) Conference Carolinas) and Belmont Abbey (33-11-1, 19-6) were able to get just one inning of play in before the rain washed out play Friday night.
Baseball resumed Saturday afternoon and after two innings the Crusaders came alive in the fourth. After retiring the first batter on a fly out Belmont Abbey was able to coax out back-to-back walks. Thomas Yoder broke the tie with a bases clearing double that was able to get over the head of the Trojan center fielder and Belmont Abbey took a 2-0 lead. Matt McGarry was able to pick up an infield single to put runners at the corners with still one out.
Conor Kwalwasser dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but, reached safely after the Trojan first baseman came home. The tag was too late by the Mount Olive catcher and Yoder was safe to push the deficit to three.
Mount Olive fought back in the bottom of the fourth. Zak Orrison drew a lead-off walk and made history on the next play. Orrison attempted to steal second and slide just underneath of the tag and with the stolen bag moved into first place all-time in stolen bases with 103 for his career at that moment.
Jack Sherrill moved Orrison to third with a base hit through the right side of the infield. A wild pitch allowed the first Mount Olive run to score, however, one was all the Trojans got as the next three batters were retired in order and Mount Olive trailed 3-1.
The Crusaders struck for a single run off a RBI-double by Colin Rosenbaum in the top of the fifth.
Mount Olive brought score to 4-3 after a two run home run by Joe Koehler in the bottom of the seventh.
The big inning came in the eighth for the Trojans. Duke Hill led off the inning with a double through the left side. Orrison drove home the tying run with a second straight double, this one down the line in left and Hill scored. Jack Sherrill continued the hits as he dropped down a bunt single and Orrison moved to third. Sherrill advanced on a wild pitch and both runners moved to into scoring position.
Brett Lang got hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded. Stephen Wallace drove one home on an RBI-single to left and Mount Olive led 5-4. David Mayo drove in two more runs with a base hit through the left side. Bradley Ragan plated the final run of the inning as he hit a fly ball into foul ground. The catch was made, but, the throw from the Crusaders' first baseman was off the mark and sailed to the backstop and allowed Grant Tyndall to score and Mount Olive took a four run lead.
The Trojans shut down the Crusaders in the top of the ninth allowing two hits but not letting a runner past second.
Jesse Schullstrom (2-1) picked up the win in relief as he pitched the final two and third innings. Schullstrom allowed two hits and struck out one.
Game Two: Mount Olive 2 Belmont Abbey 3
Mount Olive (25-18, 16-10) and Belmont Abbey (34-11-1, 20-6) were cursed again by the rain clouds in game two. After a scoreless inning and a half rain came down upon Scarborough Field. It took more than an hour before the tarp was pulled after play was halted by lighting and continuous rain.
Belmont Abbey got on the boards first in the top of the third, as Nick Beinlich drove a pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run.
The Trojans were able to bounce back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Wallace led off the inning with a solo home run to left. David Mayo singled up the middle to continue the inning. Koehler dropped down a sacrifice bunt and moved Mayo to second.
Mayo then took third on a wild pitch. Ragan made contact and put a ball in play to short. Ragan was retired, but, Mayo was able to come home and the game was all knotted up at two.
Mount Olive had a chance to put the go ahead run across in the 5th with the bases loaded but a line out thwarted the chance and the game remained tied.
The Trojans' momentum began to build in the bottom of the seventh. Duke Hill drew a walk to lead off the inning. Orrison attempted to drop down a sacrifice bunt the throw from the Crusader pitcher rolled past the outstretched first baseman and Orrison was safe as well as Hill advancing to third. Sherrill drew a walk and the bases were loaded with no one out.
Belmont Abbey, however, struck out the next three Trojans and the ball game went to extra innings.
Neither team was able to make much of a threat for the next three innings until Mount Olive threatened in the bottom of the 10th. Mayo with two away put a swing on a ball to left center and hustled around for a triple. The Crusaders thwarted the Trojans again as a ground out ended the inning.
The Crusaders brought home a go ahead run in the top of the 12th. Lorenzo Wright doubled to left center with one away to get Belmont Abbey a runner in scoring position. Following a strikeout, Kevin Elefante put Belmont Abbey up 3-2, as his base hit to right center was deep enough to score Wright from second.
Mount Olive looked to make a comeback in the bottom half as Sherrill drew a lead-off walk. The Trojans, however, could not get the key base hit as Mount Olive fell in extras.
Mount Olive will have a short rest as the Trojans prepare the Conference Carolinas Tournament that begins Thursday April 28 from Burlington, N.C. All tournament information can be found here.