Richardson's 3-run HR caps sixth-inning uprising for Trojans

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 7, 2006 1:58 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Dustin Richardson's three-run homer capped a six-run seventh inning as Mount Olive broke open a one-run game and defeated St. Andrews 15-6 in non-conference baseball Thursday at Scarborough Field.

The Trojans, which extended their winning streak to seven, scored 10 of their runs in the final two innings. Thursday's game does not count toward the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference standings.

Mount Olive (28-11) struck for four runs in the top of the first as Stephen Nordan, Graham Wooten and Kyle Curtis connected on RBI singles. St. Andrews (18-23) cut the lead in half in the top of the second as the Knights scored a pair of runs on a hit batsman and a walk with the bases loaded.

The Trojans extended the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth as Richardson led off with a single, stole second and scored on Jesse Lancaster's two-out single through the left side.

Mount Olive's middle infield helped prevent a run in the top of the fifth as the Trojans turned a 6-4-3 double play just before Greg Wrape laced a triple to the gap in right field. After walking the next batter, Trojan reliever Jonathan McClellan (1-0) got out of the inning on a ground out to second.

St. Andrews did cut into the lead in the sixth inning as Jose Rodriguez singled and Michael Eastwood doubled with one out. Rodriguez scored on a ground out and Eastwood came home on Anthony Mehling's single up the middle to pull the Knights within 5-4. But that was as close as St. Andrews would get.

Jesse Lancaster reached base on a one-out bunt single, stole second and scored on David Cooper's single. After Lance Martin was hit by a pitch, both runners advanced on a double steal and Cooper scored when the throw from the catcher went over the third baseman's head. The stolen base was the 36th of the year for Cooper, who ranks fifth in the nation in stolen bases.

Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and after a ground out brought home the third run of the inning, Richardson drove a pitch high over the left field fence for his first home run of the season to give Mount Olive an 11-4 lead.

After St. Andrews scored two runs in the top of the eighth, the Trojans struck for four more in the bottom half as Josh Harrison led off the inning with a home run to right and Lance Martin added a two-run single. Harrison's home run was his fifth of the season.

Cooper led Mount Olive's 18-hit attack with a 4-for-5 performance, while Nordan, Richardson, Wooten and Josh Carter had two hits apiece. Richardson finished with a team-high four runs batted in.

McClellan entered the game in to start the fourth inning in relief of starter Patrick Ball. McClellan, Ball and Paul Buhrow allowed two runs apiece, while Jordan Arnold retired the side in order in the ninth.

St. Andrews starter Mike Mianulli (1-1) took the loss. Wrape led the Knights at the plate with three hits.

Mount Olive returns to action this weekend as the Trojans play host to Belmont Abbey for a three-game CVAC series. The two teams play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. and conclude the series with a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday's game time has been pushed back an hour due to weather considerations.

St. Andrews plays host to Chowan this weekend in a three-game non-conference series, beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at noon and a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.