MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. --- University of Mount Olive swept King University on senior day in route to sweeping the three-game series at Scarborough Field on Saturday afternoon in Mount Olive, N.C. Prior to the game Ben Connor, Justin Carroll, Ray Catena, Drew Ellis, Ethan Horne, Brighton Hudson, Jose Lopez, German Reyes, Braxton Shetley, Trae Sweeting, and Zach Vennaro were all honored for their accomplishments for the Trojans.
GAME INFORMATION
Score:
Game 1: Mount Olive 3, King 0
Game 2: Mount Olive 8, King 7
Records: Mount Olive (29-11-1, 17-4 CC) King (24-16, 10-12 CC)
Location: Scarborough Field, Mount Olive, N.C.
How It Happened
Game 1: Play-by-Play
Game 2: Play-by-Play
GAME ONE
- Mount Olive and King were in a scoring drought to begin the day as neither team could scratch across a run in the first two innings.
- Trae Sweeting started the Trojans half of the third off with a double down the right-field line and then advanced to third on a wild pitch to give Mount Olive some life.
- Jose Lopez then drove Sweeting in via a groundout-RBI and finally, the first run of the game was scored as UMO led 1-0.
- The Trojans held the Tornado off in the top of the fourth and proceeded to tack on a pair of runs in the bottom half on a King throwing error and a Lopez RBI-single and the home lead extended to 3-0.
- UMO did not all a comeback in the top of the seventh despite the Tornado getting a baserunner on with one away and the Trojans took game one.
KEY STATS GAME 1
- German Reyes (6-0) got the win on the mound as he was a horse for the Trojans tossing a complete game one-hit shutout and struck out eight over his seven innings of work.
- Jose Lopez led the team going 1-for-3 with two RBI.
GAME TWO
- Game two started with Mount Olive wasting no time attacking the scoreboard as Drew Ellis fought to get on base with two away in the bottom of the first and did so with a double to the right-center gap.
- Justin Carroll did not let his teammate's effort go unsquandered as he drove Ellis home with a single through the right side and gave UMO a 1-0 lead.
- Nate Estes added another run for Mount Olive with an RBI-single to left in the bottom of the third.
- King fought back, however, as a big three-run home run in the top of the fourth gave the Tornado a 3-2 advantage.
- Mount Olive coming back from behind on the scoreboard and in the inning with two away found another spark off the bat of James Smibert, as the Trojans third baseman tripled over the center fielder's head.
- Sweeting came up with a timely hit as he brought in Smibert with an RBI-double to left and tied the ballgame.
- Lopez added to the hit parade and pushed home Sweeting to put Mount Olive back in front 4-3.
- King did not go away lightly as they tied the back once again in the top of the sixth on a Trojan throwing error.
- The big inning for UMO came in the seventh when the Trojans drove across three runs to regain the lead highlighted by RBI from Estes and Tolston.
- A single run that UMO scratched across in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch proved to be a very important run as King came back in the top of the ninth to score three runs but the Trojans recorded the final out in the ninth and held off another potential extra-innings contest and took the 8-7 win and series sweep.
KEY STATS GAME 2
- Reed Parris (4-2) picked up the win on the mound in relief in game two as he allowed two runs off two hits and struck out a pair in his two and a third innings of work.
- Zach Vennaro (Sv: 9) came in to close out the game and despite allowing a run to score was able to prevent the comeback and closed the door for the save.
- Nate Estes led the Trojans in game two as he went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Up Next
Mount Olive will remain at Scarborough Field as the Trojans will host the Hawks of Chowan University in a short two-game two-day series beginning Tuesday, April 17. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.