Trojans win pivotal Southeast Region series

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 3, 2013 1:47 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Bradon Reitano's walk-off RBI single in bottom of the seventh inning during game one and Zak Orrison's two-RBI double in the nightcap helped No. 2-ranked Mount Olive College sweep in-state foe Catawba on Tuesday evening.

The Trojans took the opener 4-3 and claimed the nightcap 8-6.

Mount Olive (33-4 overall) avenged a loss to Catawba in opening-round play of the 2012 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional and extended its advantage to 21-12 in the teams' series history.

Held scoreless on one hit in game one, Geno Escalante belted a lead-off home run in the Trojans' half of the fourth inning. MOC left the bases loaded and trailed 2-1.

The No. 30-ranked Indians (27-13) capitalized on two Trojan errors in the top of the fifth to add a run and extend their lead to 3-1. Chris Orphanos (7-0) took over on the mound with one out, and prevented further damage on a flyout and a strikeout. He overcame a single and a hit batsman in the sixth, and retired the side in order in the seventh while the Trojan offense created its comeback.

Jermaine Berry's RBI single in the fifth pulled Mount Olive to within a run and Daniel Oliver led off the sixth inning with his fourth home run of the season to tie the game 3-3. Matt Petrone led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, stole second and trotted home when Reitano looped his game-winning single to right field.

In the nightcap, Catawba scored three runs in the top of the first on consecutive two-out RBI singles by Garrett Furr, Julio Zubillaga and Cameron Beard. The Trojans answered with two runs in the bottom of the first as Petrone drew a lead-off walk and Reitano belted his seventh home run of the season.

Trailing 6-2, Oliver and Mike Mercurio both singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. After Bryan Dunlavey's sacrifice advanced the runners into scoring position, Orrison laced a double to bring in both runners and pull the Trojans to within 6-4.

Mount Olive loaded the bases and Berry's RBI single made it a one-run game. Tyler Farmer followed with a two-run single to put the Trojans ahead to stay 7-6.

Escalante added an insurance run with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, his second of the doubleheader and seventh of the season.

Talton Cherry (1-1) took over to start the top of the fourth and after allowing a single and a walk, induced a 4-6-3 double play. He got a strikeout to end the inning and ended a 1-2-3 fifth inning with a strikeout.

Matt Dillon pitched the final two innings for the save.

MOC has 11 victories against nationally-ranked teams this season.

The Trojans travel to Conference Carolinas foe Erskine (S.C.) this weekend. The teams will play a single game Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday.