No. 4-ranked Trojans take two from Chowan

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on March 28, 2013 1:48 PM

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MOC

Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mike Mercurio connected on a bases-loaded double during a seven-run, fifth-inning outburst and No. 4-ranked Mount Olive College battled from behind to defeat in-state foe Chowan University, 9-5, in the opening game of a doubleheader at Scarborough Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Collin DuBose permitted two hits and one earned run in five innings as the Trojans took the nightcap, 10-3. MOC improved to 55-0 against Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association schools since 1994.

In game one, Cody Britt singled and stole second, then scored on a double by Matt Petrone to pull Mount Olive to within 5-3.

The Trojans loaded the bases when Bradon Reitano walked and Jermaine Berry was hit by a pitch. Geno Escalante was then hit by a pitch as Petrone came home to make it a one-run game.

Mercurio cleared the bases, driving a 1-0 pitch to the left center-field fence to give Mount Olive its first lead at 7-5. Daniel Oliver doubled to virtually the same spot to drive in Mercurio. Zak Orrison followed with the Trojans' third straight double to left center, which scored Oliver and capped the scoring.

Trojan pitcher Matt Hinkle, who hadn't pitched in more than a year, retired Chowan in order in the third and fifth innings. He faced 12 batters and allowed just two to reach base in 32/3 innings of relief. It was Hinkle's first win since the 2011 NCAA Division II College World Series.

Josh Frederick closed the game with two innings of no-hit relief.

In game two, Bryan Dunlavey's third-inning RBI single broke a 2-2 tie and continued a string of 10 unanswered runs by the Trojans, who fell behind 2-0 in the top half of the first.

Petrone accounted for both Trojan runs in the fourth, driving in a run with a double and scoring on a throwing error after stealing third, which extended Mount Olive's lead to 5-2. Bretton Gouthro's pinch-hit two-run double highlighted a five-run fifth inning as the Trojans broke the game open.

DuBose (3-0) struck out four and retired 11 of the final 14 batters he faced. Talton Cherry pitched a scoreless sixth and Taylor Carr pitched the seventh.

Mount Olive (28-4 overall) entertains No. 27-ranked California (Pa.) University this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader Friday, which begins at 3 p.m.; and a single game on Saturday, which starts at noon.