D2 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL: Trojans have date with Lander

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on May 17, 2016 1:48 PM

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jhayes@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- The second season begins like the first.

University of Mount Olive, who earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional earlier this month, learned its opening-round opponent Sunday night as the selection committee unveiled regional brackets from its Indianapolis headquarters.

And does it ever ring familiar.

The Trojans (31-19 overall) will face Peach Belt member Lander University on Thursday in game two of the Southeast Regional at Columbus, Ga.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

UMO opened the season as the guests of Lander in January, scoring a landslide 16 runs in two games and filing a split with the Bearcats. Since then, the Trojans have resembled two different teams.

On March 14, following a loss to non-conference foe Franklin Pierce, UMO stood just 9-10. Questions about the desire of the team were openly asked and addressed by every available pundit, qualified or not.

The Trojans responded, however.

Ignoring the noise around them, UMO pitchers found a groove and settled into normalcy. A similiar rythym was found at the plate, resulting in a midseason renaissance -- and wins.

The Trojans stormed through the final 31 games of their schedule at a remarkable 22-9 clip, winning at least four consecutive games on separate occasions. In late April, the green-and-white peeled off four wins in as many days -- the last in glory gold -- to capture the Conference Carolinas Championship in Burlington, N.C.

Should UMO advance on Thursday, they face the winner of the Belmont Abbey-Catawba matchup on Friday at 7 p.m. If not, the Trojans relocate to the secondary bracket -- a narrow, win-or-go-home option featuring the same ball clubs.

Lander (38-14 overall) enters regional play having lost the Peach Belt Championship to Columbus State on Sunday.

Winners of regional brackets will assemble at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C., on May 28-June 4. UMO, in conjunction with the town of Cary, will serve as the official host of this year's championship series.