No. 1-ranked Trojans complete series sweep of Pfeiffer

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 22, 2013 1:47 PM

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MISENHEIMER -- Mike Mercurio homered for the third consecutive game and four Mount Olive College pitchers held in-state foe Pfeiffer U to seven hits in a 9-4 victory on Sunday afternoon.

The Trojans swept the season-ending Conference Carolinas series and carry a 21-game win streak into next week's league tournament at Burlington. Top-seeded MOC opposes sixth-seeded Erskine (S.C.) at 7 p.m.

Pfeiffer plays Coker at 3 p.m. Belmont Abbey and King open the six-team, double-elimination tournament at 11 a.m. The winner clinches the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

MOC starter Derek Justice (4-1) worked his way around a pair of Pfeiffer home runs to hurl six effective innings in the series finale. He permitted three earned runs on five hits. Bullpen mates Josh Frederick, Matt Hinkle and Chris Orphanos combined for three innings of shutout relief.

Mercurio's RBI single scored Colby Conway with the game-tying run in the third inning. Jermaine Berry followed with a two-RBI single. Bretton Gouthro and Daniel Oliver each connected on an RBI base hit.

Pfeiffer countered with a solo home run in its half of the third inning.

But Zak Orrison belted his second homer of the season in the fourth inning, and Mercurio ripped his eighth homer of the year to break the game open one inning later.

MOC (43-4 overall, 20-3 CC) won 20 or more conference games for the second consecutive year and sixth time overall since 1996.