Golden Trojans: MOC collects program-best 50th win of season

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on May 16, 2008 4:06 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- The school record almost seemed an afterthought.

No. 1-ranked Mount Olive defeated Erskine 11-3 for its 50th victory of the season in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional on a soggy Thursday evening. The mark broke the old single-season record of 49 established a year ago.

"I had forgot about that," MOC head coach Carl Lancaster said of the record. "It's good to have 50 wins, but that was never the objective."

The objective continues today as the top-seeded Trojans (50-5 overall) oppose North Georgia at 3 p.m. on the Scarborough Field diamond. Conference Carolinas pitcher of the year Ryan Schlecht (12-0) will get the starting nod against the Saints.

Sixth-seeded Erskine faced Conference Carolinas rival Belmont Abbey in an elimination game this morning.

Mount Olive missed scoring chances in the first and second innings.

Erskine (44-12) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third on Brandon Garrett's two-out single. The Flying Fleet wouldn't score again.

Josh Harrison's second bases-loaded opportunity in the Trojans' third inning turned out more productive. The senior outfielder laced a two-RBI single to left field, which scored Jesse Lancaster and Jason Sherrer.

"I got behind two strikes and I was just looking to drive the ball to the opposite field," said Harrison. "I was glad to get a pitch to do it with. We weren't really worried about getting 50 wins. Obviously, we wanted to get 50 wins but we just wanted to win the game."

Erik Lovett scored on error to make it 3-1. Anthony Williams legged out a two-out, infield single with a head-first slide at first base. Rich Racobaldo scored and Mount Olive led 4-1.

Williams finished with three hits.

Sherrer's fourth-inning RBI single retired Erskine starting pitcher Michael Moore. Harrison (2-for-4, 3 RBI) and Racobaldo added two-out, RBI singles to cap the Trojans' four-run third.

Mount Olive plated additional runs in the fifth.

Sherrer (2-for-3, 3 RBI) delivered a two-out, two-run infield single. Racobaldo (3-for-5, 3 RBI) smacked a two-run single to score Sherrer and Lovett.

Erskine trailed 11-1.

"I think the first at-bat is pretty important for me," said Racobaldo of his second-inning double. "If I can get that one, then I usually feel pretty good."

Mount Olive starter Casey Hodges (9-1) allowed four hits in a six-inning stint and fanned four Flying Fleet batters. Erskine tallied solo home runs in the seventh and ninth innings.