Trojans, Marauders meet again

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 1, 2011 1:46 PM

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CARY -- Two of the nation's teams ranked among the top three in national polls earned the "two and cue" tag during the 2011 NCAA Division II College World Series.

Good-bye No. 1 Grand Valley State.

Nice meeting you No. 3 Central Missouri.

No. 2-ranked Mount Olive avoided that dreaded label with an opening-round win over Millersville (Pa.) University on Saturday. Now, the Trojans (46-9 overall) face that same team today in elimination-round play at the USA National Baseball Training Complex.

First pitch is 3 p.m.

"That's a pretty good ballclub and Pete (Levitt) pitched the game of his life for us to win that one," said Trojans' head coach Carl Lancaster of the team's previous meeting against the Marauders.

"It's not going to be like we have an automatic win. Both teams are fighting for their lives at this point. I don't see it being an advantage (knowing them) at all."

Right-hander Jeremy Hall is expected to start on the rubber for the Trojans, who are 5-1 all-time in CWS games. A senior from Garner, Hall (5-0) has fashioned a 2.17 earned run average in 57 innings of work.

Opposing teams are batting .241 against Hall, who has recorded 40 strikeouts and just nine walks in 15 appearances this season.

"Today after we got Carter (Capps) out, we didn't pitch anyone that long, so we should have those guys back on a day's rest if we need to go back to them," said Lancaster after Monday's loss to Winona State.

"We didn't beat up our bullpen that bad, I think."

Mount Olive does need some extra offense, though.

The Trojans have scored just six runs on 18 hits in 18 innings. Ryan Faison and Jason Simone, the Nos. 1 and 2 batters in the MOC lineup, respectively, have combined for eight hits.

The remaining seven starters have produced just 10 hits.

MOC has grounded into four double plays and stranded 15 runners on base. The Trojans left nine aboard against Winona State.

"We should have had more runs on the board than we did and they should have had less than they did," said Lancaster. "The game should have been close if we played it clean, but we didn't. We've just got to bounce back and see what we can do down the road."