Lancaster finds groove as Trojans rout Bishops

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 6, 2008 1:47 PM

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MOC Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Starting pitcher Jesse Lancaster retired 13 consecutive batters during one stretch and Jason Sherrer mashed a three-run homer as nationally-ranked Mount Olive College hammered N.C. Wesleyan 10-2 on Tuesday afternoon.

Lancaster, who was red-shirted last season, yielded back-to-back singles in the top of the first. But the former Wayne County Post 11 standout settled into a groove and retired the side in order over the next three innings.

The Battling Bishops (0-1 overall) managed just one base runner during that span. Lancaster allowed four hits and fanned four NCWC hitters in a six-inning stint.

Former Lenoir Community College standout Paul Novicki and Thomas Newsome each provided one inning of scoreless relief. Novicki posted two strikeouts, while Newsome got one strikeout.

Kyle Jones threw the ninth.

Sherrer's homer, his second of the season, occurred in the first inning.

With two outs, Rich Racobaldo singled through the right side and moved to second when Erik Lovett drew a walk. Sherrer followed with a driving shot high over the left-field fence to give Mount Olive -- and Lancaster -- a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Shortstop David Cooper added a second-inning, RBI single. N.C. Wesleyan committed two errors, which led to an additional two unearned runs. Cooper supplied a sixth-inning RBI double as the Trojans erupted for four more runs.

Ranked among the nation's top five teams in two polls, Mount Olive (3-1) welcomes Lenoir-Rhyne for a three-game series at Scarborough Field. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at noon, and a single game on Sunday.

Trojan men 18th

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College held onto its No. 18 ranking in the latest NABC Division II men's basketball top 25 poll.

The Trojans (16-4 overall) posted a 2-1 record last week that started with a one-point road loss at in-state rival Pfeiffer University. They bounced back with consecutive victories over St. Andrews and Anderson (S.C.) University.

Mount Olive received 53 points from voters and is one of three East Regional teams ranked nationally. West Liberty State (W. Va.) slipped to No. 13, while Edinboro (Pa.) debuted at No. 25.

The Trojans entertain Lees-McRae at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Baseball moves up

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive matched a school record and earned its highest national ranking in nine years, moving up four spots to No. 3 in this week's Ping Baseball Division II top 30 poll.

The Trojans are No. 4 in the Collegiate Baseball top 30.

Mount Olive opened its 2008 campaign with a 2-1 series victory over then No. 7-ranked Tusculum (Tenn.).

Monroe recognized

THOMASVILLE -- Lakeisha Monroe, who came within two rebounds of recording Mount Olive's first triple-double in more than a decade, has been named Conference Carolinas Player of the Week in women's basketball.

A senior transfer from Division I Georgia State, Monroe opened the week with a 30-point effort -- including the game-winning basket -- at Pfeiffer. She collected a double-double -- 16 points, 12 assists -- in an 81-62 thrashing of St. Andrews. Monroe pumped in 18 points against No. 21-ranked Anderson (S.C.) University.

The Trojan women (12-9 overall) are 10-4 in league play.