MURFREESBORO, N.C. --- In the series finale, the No. 17 University of Mount Olive Trojans split the Conference Carolinas doubleheader with the Chowan University Hawks taking game one 9-6 before falling in game two 11-3 in Bristol, Tenn., Saturday.
GAME INFORMATION
Score:
Game 1: Mount Olive 9, Chowan 6
Game 2: Chowan 11, Mount Olive 3
Records: Mount Olive (19-8, 9-5 CC) Chowan (11-12-1, 7-7 CC)
Location: Hawkins Field, Murfreesboro, N.C.
How It Happened
Game 1: Play-by-Play
Game 2: Play-by-Play
GAME ONE
- Mount Olive took the early lead in the top of the second on a Blake McLean sacrifice fly to left and took a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
- UMO tacked on two more runs in the fourth via RBI base hits by Jon Cosme and Gunner Tolston to extend the lead to three.
- Chowan did not score their first runs until the fifth when the Hawks first run scored on a wild pitch and the tying runs came home on a two-run home run and the game was knotted at three.
- A second home run in the inning gave CU a 5-3 lead and the fifth finally came to a close.
- Aaron Hedgepeth started the UMO sixth off with a double to right center and after a strikeout, Coy Barnett pinch hit and ended up getting hit by a pitch to give Mount Olive two base runners.
- Tolston came up clutch again, this time with a three-run home run to right, and Mount Olive jumped back out to a 6-5 lead.
- In their final at-bats Chowan found a way to scratch across a run and forced the game to go into extra innings.
- Neither team found a run until UMO scored in the ninth.
- Two walks in the inning (Jack Casbarro, Zack Smith) made way for Hedgepeth to hit a shot over the center field wall to put Mount Olive back in front for good 9-6.
- Chowan got two runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but Mount Olive was able to close the door and took game one.
GAME TWO
- Mount Olive started the second game with a run off a sacrifice fly from JT Stone.
- Stone's RBI was all set up by Nate Estes being hit by a pitch and then subsequently making it to third on an error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff.
- UMO went onto score a second run in the third on a wild pitch as Casbarro scored.
- The Hawks had a big fourth inning scoring four runs off an RBI-single, a sacrifice fly, and a two-run home run to take a 4-2 lead.
- Mount Olive failed to stop Chowan from scoring in the fourth as well as the Hawks tacked on four more runs on a two-RBI single and another two-run home run and CU extended their lead to 8-2.
- Hedgepeth started the sixth with a double down the right field line and was moved to third on a groundout.
- Zack Smith drove him in with a sacrifice fly and picked up the RBI to drew Mount Olive to with five, 8-3.
- Chowan had one final blow and it happened in the sixth as a two-run double and an RBI-groundout put the game out of reach for the Trojans and with UMO going down in order in the seventh Mount Olive fell in game two 11-3.
KEY STATS GAME 1
- Jake Isbell (1-0) was credited with the win in relief, his first win of the season, going the final three innings, surrendering a run, off four hits and struck out three.
- Aaron Hedgepeth led the Trojans going 3-for-3 from the plate with three RBI, two walks, and three runs scored.
KEY STATS GAME 2
- Caleb Bishop (1-3) was pinned with the loss in game two only making it three complete, allowing seven runs off nine hits and struck out two.
Up Next
Mount Olive will return to Scarborough Field Tuesday, March 26 when the Indians of Catawba College come to town. First pitch for the single non-conference southeast regional battle is set for 4 p.m.