Trojans' Manning named Conference Carolinas baseball player-of-the-week

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 9, 2011 1:47 PM

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MOC Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- North Lenoir alum Andrew Manning, who delivered a key, pinch-hit double for Mount Olive College against Lenoir-Rhyne, has been named the Conference Carolinas baseball player-of-the-week.

Manning batted .625 and drove in seven runs for the No. 5-ranked Trojans, who swept a three-game, non-conference series from the Bears. His pinch-hit, three-RBI double ignited a 10-run, ninth-inning outburst in the season opener between the two in-state rivals.

Manning, a transfer from Lenoir Community College, batted 2-for-3 in the opening game of the Trojans' doubleheader on Sunday. He contributed two doubles and three RBI in the nightcap.

Mount Olive (3-0 overall) returns to action this weekend in the Lander (S.C.) University Tournament. The Trojans will face two former Division II College World Series champions -- Lynn University (2009) and perennial power Tampa (2007) during the multi-team event.

The Trojans also play Carson-Newman, which is expected to contend for the South Atlantic Conference title this spring.

Poll news

Mount Olive jumped to No. 5 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Division II poll after scoring 37 runs in a three-game sweep over Lenoir-Rhyne College.

Six different Trojans recorded at least one three-RBI outing during the series. Michael Knox clubbed two home runs and Andrew Manning delivered two, three-RBI outings.

Mount Olive is ranked No. 17 in the NCBWA Top 25 poll and No. 18 in the College Baseball Lineup (formerly Ping! Baseball) Top 30 poll.

The Trojans were the lone Conference Carolinas team to finish the first week of regular-season play unbeaten.