Mount Olive sweeps twinbill from Coker
By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on March 18, 2012 1:52 AM
MOC SPORTS INFORMATION
HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Bradon Reitano's two-out, two-run double in the sixth made a winner of Matt Dillon, who delivered a four-hit masterpiece and 27th-ranked Mount Olive defeated Coker 3-1 in game one of a Conference Carolinas baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
The win ended a string of victories in which the Trojans have scored in double-figures. In game two, the Trojans' bats returned to life as Jermaine Berry drove in six in a 17-3 win.
In the opener, Dillon (3-0) was in command much of the contest, striking out four without walking a batter.
The Trojans jumped in front in the top of the first. Antonio Callaway reached on a two-base error with one out. One batter later, Geno Escalante singled Callaway home for a 1-0 lead.
The lead stood until the bottom of the fifth. Dillon, who retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced, gave up a lead-off double to Brinley Griffin. Two outs later, Taylor Martin singled up the middle to tie the game.
In the sixth, the Trojans took the lead for good. With two outs and the bases empty, Escalante singled down the right field line and Berry reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Reitano then doubled to the left-center field gap to bring home both runners.
Dillon retired the next five batters he faced before Nathan Wilson tripled with two outs in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate. Dillon coaxed a groundout from Lucas Britt to end the game.
Mount Olive was held to a season-low four hits, but the Trojans played errorless defense behind Dillon, who recorded his first complete game for the team.
In the nightcap, Zach Smith (4-2) allowed the Cobras just one earned run in a complete-game seven-hitter. Trailing 2-0, the Trojans (18-6, 9-2 Conference Carolinas) came to life with a six-run third capped off by Reitano's three-run homer, his fourth blast of the season. Berry also delivered his first RBI of the contest.
Mount Olive continues its eight-game road trip Wednesday afternoon when the Trojans travel to Salisbury to face Catawba in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is 4 p.m.