Trojans edge K-Tribe in exhibition game

By From staff reports
Published in Sports on April 8, 2009 1:46 PM

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MOC Sports Information

KINSTON -- The reigning NCAA Division II national champion, thanks to its own pitching staff, claimed an exhibition victory at historic Grainger Stadium on a cold, blustery Tuesday evening.

Mount Olive College used nine pitchers from its bullpen and handed Kinston a 4-3 loss before nearly 1,000 fans. The catch? Each team batted against its own pitchers, who also threw to their own catchers.

Catchers were part of the opposing team's batting order and were the only players who batted against the opposing pitchers. MOC catcher Tyler Smith made two plate appearances against Major Leaguer Anthony Reyes, who was recently named Cleveland's fifth starting pitcher for the 2009 season.

Smith struck out twice.

Rich Racobaldo's infield single gave MOC a 1-0, first-inning lead.

Airlon Vinson trotted home on a fourth-inning fielder's choice to start a three-run uprising. Jesse Lancaster scored on an infield pop-up that landed between three fielders and Dylan Holton followed with an RBI single.

Kinston plated single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Three tremendous catches in center field and a ninth-inning double play helped preserve Mount Olive's one-run lead.

Montoya Young replaced Joseph Westbrook in center field to start the seventh inning and battled a swirling wind to rob Tim Fedroff of a potential extra-base hit. Fedroff played at North Carolina.

Young denied K-Tribe designated hitter Lucas Montero of a ninth-inning, lead-off single to shallow center field. After a walk to Fedroff, MOC hurler Jordan Corbett -- the ninth Trojan pitcher of the game -- induced a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Kinston opens is Carolina League season at home Thursday against Winston-Salem. The four-game series begins a stretch of 11 consecutive home contests for the K-Tribe at historic Grainger Stadium.