Mount Olive completes sweep of California (Pa.)

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on March 31, 2013 1:52 AM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Pitching was at a premium as Mount Olive College went for the three-game sweep of California University of Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams used eight pitchers combined as Mount Olive earned a 7-6 come-from-behind victory.

"We wanted to throw a few guys and kind of roll the dice," Mount Olive head coach Carl Lancaster said. "This was a non-region series so we felt like it was a good time to spread some innings around."

California got on the board first when Matt Peters worked the count full in the top of the second inning and blasted the pay-off pitch over the left field fence to put the Vulcans ahead 1-0. The visitors made the score 2-0 in the second when a Mount Olive error and a walk preceded an RBI base hit from Kyle Petty.

Mount Olive (31-4) tied the game in the home half of the third inning with two runs.

California jumped in front again in the fourth inning when another Mount Olive error opened the flood gates. Chuck Gosti reached on a fielder's choice with one out. Gio Morales reached on an error and Derrick Zaroski loaded the bases with a walk. Ben Carson walked and forced in a run and Petty cleared the bases with a three-run double that made the score 6-2.

Mount Olive pulled within one run in the fifth when Cody Britt walked, Matt Petrone bounced into a fielder's choice and Bradon Reitano delivered an RBI single. Geno Escalante reached on an error that allowed a run to score and Jermaine Berry belted an RBI double.

The Trojans took their first lead in the sixth when Britt's sacrifice fly scored Zach Orrison. Matt Petrone singled and Reitano followed with an RBI double that put the home team ahead 7-6.

"Yesterday I think we played two games as well as we have payed all season," Lancaster said. "Today it took us a while to get going. We missed a couple of plays on the infield that cost us some runs early and we had to fight back."

The one-run advantage was all that relief pitcher Chris Orphanos would need. Orphanos put in four innings of sterling relief to earn the mound win. The right-hander allowed just one hit and struck out three batters.

"Orphanos is a kid that wants to throw every day," Lancaster said. "He came in and didn't try to fool anyone. He just threw strikes consistently."

Mount Olive plays host to Catawba for a double-header on Tuesday. First pitch is 4 p.m.