UMO sweeps Conference Carolinas men's, women's indoor track team titles

By UMO Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 24, 2014 1:47 PM

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WINSTON-SALEM -- The University of Mount Olive men's and women's indoor track teams combined for eight individual titles and swept the team crowns during the 2014 Conference Carolinas indoor track and field championship meet contested at the JDL Fast Track on Sunday evening.

Sophomore Dylan Lafond won the 3,000 meters and one-mile run. Austin Steagall claimed the 5,000 meters, while Donavann Thornton emerged first in the weight throw.

UMO compiled 131 points, 22 more than runner-up North Greenville, in the team portion of the event.

On the women's side, the Trojans had two individual champions -- Chelsea van Dijk (200 and 400 meters) and Aerostata Brown (triple jump). The foursome of Alexis McNeil, Brionna Simmons, Wislande Maxy and van Dijk placed first in the 1,600-meter relay.

UMO amassed 132 points en route to the team crown.

Baseball

MOUNT OLIVE -- Bradon Reitano homered for the second straight day and No. 18-ranked University of Mount Olive cranked out 23 hits in a 23-2, non-conference win over California (Pa.) University on Sunday afternoon.

The Trojans won the three-game series 2-1.

UMO broke the game open with a 10-run, first-inning outburst on eight hits and a Vulcan error. Reitano collected four RBI on a run-scoring double and three-run homer -- his fifth of the season. The preseason All-American ended the day 5-for-5 with six RBI.

Bretton Gouthro batted 2-for-2 with an RBI. Zak Orrison drove in five runs.

Gunner Kines claimed the mound win with five innings of five-hit, three-strikeout work. Adam Kirkpatrick, Hunter Barnett, Taylor Carr, Mark Harris and Deshorn Lake combined for four innings of one-hit, four-strikeout relief.

Mount Olive (10-4 overall) faces St. Augustine's at the USA National Baseball Training Complex in Cary on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch is 2:30 p.m.

Softball

RALEIGH -- The University of Mount Olive concluded the Shaw Softball Challenge with back-to-back losses against Shippensburg (Pa.) and USC Aiken on Sunday afternoon.

Shippensburg exploded for six second-inning runs and turned back the Trojans, 9-6. USC Aiken pitcher India Kornegay threw a one-hitter over the final five innings and logged 18 strikeouts in a 7-5 win during the nightcap.

Kalie Smith and Savannah Becker swatted back-to-back, solo home runs against Shippensburg. Lauren McGrath clubbed a two-run home run in the seventh for UMO.

Tiffany Hawley belted a first-inning, grand slam home run that helped give the Trojans a 5-1 lead over USC Aiken after 11/2 innings of play. The Pacers pecked away at the deficit and took the lead with two unearned runs in the fifth inning.

UMO opened the Challenge with three straight victories on Saturday. McGrath's bases-loaded walk-off single capped a 6-5 triumph over No. 20-ranked California (Pa.) University. The Trojans defeated West Chester 8-3 and Paine 5-1.