Trojans take Saturday twinbill from Erskine

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on March 22, 2014 11:19 PM

• Print
• Email

aetzler@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive junior Luke Barry knows he's not always going to be successful in his role as a pinch hitter.

But Barry might have had the biggest hit of the Trojans' season in the first game of a doubleheader against No. 23-ranked Erskine (S.C.) College on Saturday afternoon.

With the bases loaded and one out in a tie game, Barry came in to hit for DeAndre Allen in the bottom of the sixth inning. He attacked the first pitch from Erskine's top reliever, Wes Schuler, and drilled a bases-clearing double to right center. The three-RBI hit was the eventual game winner for Trojans pitcher Derek Justice, who shut the door in the seventh for the complete-game 5-2 victory.

"I went up there with an aggressive approach, he gave me a fastball in and I drove it to the gap," Barry said. "It was nice to be able to win a close game like that."

Were it not for the Trojans' defense, Barry may never have got his chance to shine.

In the top half of Erskine's sixth inning, Joey Wilson hit a line drive down the left-field line that probably should scored Brett Overstreet from first. Instead, Overstreet was thrown out at the plate by a perfect relay from Bradon Reitano to Cody Britt, who made a one-hop throw to catcher Justin Manning for the out.

The game remained tied at 2-2.

"We knew they have a lot power to the gaps so that was something we worked on Friday," Trojans head coach Carl Lancaster said. "They did it to perfection."

The two big plays were just what the Trojans needed to possibly turn their season around. At the very least, it game them momentum for the second game.

And Mount Olive got another big hit, this time from a staple in its lineup -- Justin Manning.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and the score tied, Manning launched a pitch from Erskine's J.R. Black over the scoreboard in right-center field for a go-ahead solo home run.

Manning's homer was all the Trojans would need, but they got more when right fielder Chase Edwards hit a towering fly ball over the left-field wall for an insurance run.

Trojans reliever Zach Bernard preserved the lead for his third save of the year.

Lancaster hopes stealing the best-of-three series from Erskine after losing the opener 2-1 on Friday will be the turning point he's been hoping for this spring.

"We've been waiting for it," Lancaster said. "I hope (it turns us around). We'll see."

However, it hasn't gotten any easier for the Trojans, who have been hindered by injuries all season. They lost first baseman and clean-up hitter Rob Shipman to a concussion on Friday. Lancaster said Shipman's status is uncertain.

The usual designated hitter, Will Martin, filled in for Shipman in his first start at first base. Martin made several nice plays, reaching over the fence to bring a foul ball back in play for an out and scooping balls out of the dirt.

"I told him on Friday he was never going to play first base," Lancaster said. "Now (Shipman) gets hurt and I have to. He's trying. He did all right."

Junior center fielder Jay Gonzalez paced the Trojans from his lead-off spot. He reached base six times on four hits, drove in a run, stole a base and scored three runs.

"My family was up (from Orlando, Fla.), they don't get up here a whole lot, so it was nice to be able to get a few extra hits for them," Gonzalez said.

The Trojans didn't mind those few extra hits, either.