Trojans' Lancaster closing in on 600 career victories

Published in Sports on March 17, 2006 1:47 PM

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Mount Olive head baseball coach Carl Lancaster has an opportunity to reach a milestone this weekend. More importantly, his Trojans have a chance to draw closer to the conference leader.

Mount Olive is spending the weekend in Due West, S.C., as the Trojans begin a three-game Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference baseball series today against Erskine. The two teams play a single game today at 2:30 p.m., then conclude the series with a doubleheader Saturday at noon.

Lancaster, who ranks in the top 25 among active NCAA Division II baseball coaches in career victories and career winning percentage, is two wins away from reaching the career 600-win mark. He has a career record 598-327.

Mount Olive (18-8 overall, 7-5 CVAC) enters the series on a four-game winning streak, including a two-game sweep this week over Bryant, a team that was nationally ranked last year. The Trojans reached the 20-run mark for the third time this season in the series opener.

The Trojans have been riding the hot bat of Josh Carter, who ranks second in the CVAC with a .479 batting average and comes into this weekend's series on a 15-game hitting streak. Carter, who was named CVAC Player of the Week earlier this week, has homered in three of his last four games.

He also leads the CVAC in runs batted in with 46.

Stephen Nordan is second on the team in hitting with a .385 batting average and leads the Trojans with 14 doubles. Graham Wooten is hitting .361 and is tied with Carter for the team lead with five home runs.

Trojan leadoff batter David Cooper leads the CVAC with 24 stolen bases in 26 attempts.

On the mound, senior Justin Staatz leads the staff with a 4-2 record and a 2.25 earned run average. The Trojans will complete this weekend's starting rotation from among Paul Burrow, Jesse Lancaster and Phillip Pennington.

Junior Donald Huff has emerged as one of the top closers in the conference this season with a 4-0 record and two saves. Huff has yet to allow a run this season in 10 relief appearances and 18 innings pitched.

Erskine (21-4, 6-1) sits atop the CVAC standings and was ranked in the Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 30 until falling to No. 31 in this week's poll. Erskine is also on a four-game winning streak after defeating Augusta State 7-2 Wednesday.

Erskine won two-of-three in last year's series.

Mount Olive is currently in fourth place in the CVAC standings, a half-game behind third-place Belmont Abbey and one game ahead of fifth-place Limestone.

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