Top-seeded Trojans escape Barton in opening round

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on April 25, 2014 1:48 PM

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BURLINGTON -- No. 12-ranked University of Mount Olive held Barton scoreless after a first-inning, solo home run and claimed a 3-1 victory in opening-round play of the 2014 Conference Carolinas baseball tournament on Thursday afternoon.

The top-seeded Trojans (37-11 overall) opposed in-state foe Pfeiffer University at 3 p.m. today. Barton, the sixth seed, faced Limestone in an elimination-round game earlier this morning.

UMO's Kodi Whitley, who was named the Conference Carolinas freshman-of-the-year, and senior Josh Frederick combined for a four-hitter at Burlington Athletic Park. Whitley (6-1) yielded the solo homer to Dillon Rudio and allowed just three hits in 51/3 innings of work.

Frederick provided 32/3 sterling innings of six-strikeout relief and collected his team-leading fourth save of the season.

Ranked second Division II Southeast Region poll, the Trojans tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning. Junior center fielder Jay Gonzalez doubled and eventually scored from third on a delayed double steal with senior Braden Reitano, who was named the Conference Carolinas player-of-the-year.

The nation's top base thief, Gonzalez increased his Division II-leading total to 48 stolen bases.

Junior Justin Manning scored UMO's go-ahead and insurance runs. The catcher singled to lead off the fourth inning and scored on an outfield error. Manning doubled in the sixth and touched home plate on an RBI single from Cody Britt.

Barton managed just four hits in the game and has now lost 20 consecutive outings against its archrival since 2009.