No. 1-ranked Trojans sweep in-state foe Pfeiffer in baseball

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 20, 2013 11:05 PM

• Print
• Email

MISENHEIMER -- No. 1-ranked Mount Olive College extended its unbeaten streak to a season-high 20 games with a doubleheader sweep of in-state Conference Carolinas baseball nemesis Pfeiffer U on Saturday afternoon.

Mike Mercurio slugged home runs in both games for the Trojans, who prevailed 13-1 and 7-4. MOC and Pfeiffer will conclude regular-season play with a single game today. First pitch is 1 p.m.

In the opener, the Trojans (42-4 overall, 19-3 CC) pushed seven unearned runs across on nine Falcon errors. Matt Petrone drove a two-out pitch to left field where the ball was misplayed, which allowed three second-inning runs to score.

MOC doubled its advantage in the fourth inning when Bradon Reitano singled to bring home Tyler Farmer. Reitano and Petrone scored on Mercurio's two-double. Reitano finished with four hits, while Mercurio collected five RBI on the day.

Pfeiffer answered with one run.

Reitano's RBI single and two unearned runs gave MOC a 9-1 lead.

The cushion was more than enough for MOC starter Matt Dillon. The senior permitted one run on five hits and struck out six Pfeiffer batters in six innings on the rubber. Bullpen mate Zach Smith supplied three innings of two-hit relief.

The Trojans never trailed after Daniel Oliver belted his sixth home run of the season in the third inning. Reitano singled to score Petrone for a 2-0 advantage.

Pfeiffer closed to within 2-1.

Until Mercurio ripped a home run -- with two aboard -- to blow open a close game in the fifth inning. It was Mercurio's sixth round-tripper of the season.

Petrone added a two-RBI single one inning later.

The Falcons rallied to within 7-4 before Alex Regan closed the door with a game-ending groundout in the bottom of the seventh. Regan improved to 11-1 on the mound this season.