Mount Olive Sweeps Wingate In NCAA II

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on February 19, 2004 1:55 PM

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WINGATE -- Craig Hurba's RBI-double with one out in the top of the eighth proved to be the game-winner as Mount Olive College defeated host Wingate 3-2 in eight innings in game one of a non-conference NCAA II baseball doubleheader Wednesday. In game two, Hurba and Steve Parrish both homered and Mount Olive withstood a late comeback to win 6-5. The sweep extends the Trojans' winning streak to six.

Mount Olive (8-2) got on the scoreboard first in game one as Parrish led off the top of the second with a home run. After Wingate (2-8) tied the game in the bottom of the inning, the Trojans struck for a run in the top of the third on back-to-back doubles by Alan Thomas and Stephen Nordan. Wingate answered with a run in the bottom of the third and the game remained tied 2-2 until the eighth. Nordan singled with one out and scored on Hurba's double.

Starter Josh Clow allowed two runs on three hits in four innings pitched. Brett Williams (1-0) pitched 3.2 innings of hitless ball for the win. Wingate loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but Jason Sharp retired the only batter he faced for the save.

In the second game, Mount Olive rallied from an early 2-0 deficit as Hurba's opposite-field three-run homer to right highlighted a four-run fifth inning. Parrish belted a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to give the Trojans a 6-2 lead. Wingate struck for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, two coming off a two-run homer by David Yount.

But Ricky Duke retired two batters to end the rally and pick up the save. Reliever Blake Montgomery (1-0) recorded the win.

Parrish homered and collected two hits in each of the two games. Nordan had two hits in game one, while Kevin Daniels had two hits in game two.

Hurba and Parrish have three home runs apiece on the season.

Mount Olive has the next two days off before heading to Misenheimer for a three-game series at Pfeiffer to open Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference play. Pfeiffer and Mount Olive finished first and second, respectively, in the CVAC Preseason Poll. Mount Olive won last year's CVAC regular season title, while Pfeiffer won last year's CVAC Tournament.