Trojans split non-CVAC twinbill at Pfeiffer University

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on March 2, 2007 2:16 PM

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MISENHEIMER -- Scott Houin hit a three-run homer and Phillip Pennington allowed only four hits in five innings as nationally 27th-ranked Mount Olive salvaged a split with an 8-2 victory over Pfeiffer in game two of a non-conference baseball doubleheader Wednesday.

In the opener, Pfeiffer rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the Trojans 10-9. The doubleheader does not count towards the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference standings. The two teams meet April 14-15 at Scarborough Field for their three-game CVAC series.

Mount Olive (13-6) overcame an early 1-0 deficit in the nightcap as Stephen Nordan's RBI single and Dustin Richardson's two-run single highlighted a four-run third inning. Houin broke the game open in the fourth with a three-run homer, his fourth of the season. Houin scored the Trojans final run in the top of the seventh on a double steal.

Houin finished with four runs batted in, while Richardson and Erik Lovett added two hits apiece.

Pennington (2-0) struck out three and allowed only two runs as he left with a 7-2 lead. Casey Hodges pitched the final two innings, allowing one hit and retiring six of the eight batters he faced.

In game one, Mount Olive sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run fourth inning as the Trojans broke a 1-1 tie. Stephen Nordan hit a two-run double and Graham Wooten had an RBI single in the inning. The Trojans extended the lead to 8-1 in the top of the fifth on Wooten's two-run homer, his fifth of the season.

After Pfeiffer (10-7) scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth, Mount Olive added a run in the sixth as David Cooper led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Nordan's sacrifice fly to give Mount Olive a 9-3 lead.

Pfeiffer added three runs in the sixth to pull within 9-6, then loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh. A single brought in one run and a ground out plated another to cut the Trojans' lead to a run. After a walk loaded the bases again, another walk brought home the tying run and a hit batsman drove in the winning run.

Wooten was 3-for-3 with four runs batted in, while Nordan added three RBIs.

-- MOC sports information