D2 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL: Catawba eliminates UMO

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on May 22, 2017 9:59 AM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Just like that, it's over.

The University of Mount Olive, whose No. 1 ranked baseball outfit entertained designs of making a legitimate splash in this month's Division II College World Series, saw its aspiration end abruptly on Sunday, falling 6-5 to Catawba before an energetic, partisan crowd at the NCAA Southeast Regional at Scarborough Field.

And as was the case during Saturday's 13-6 setback to North Georgia, the Trojans found life difficult from the outset.

Starter German Reyes, a central figure in UMO's Conference Carolinas tournament triumph three weeks ago, experienced maximum casualty over a 56-pitch effort that lasted just two innings. In total, the left-hander allowed five runs on a trio of hits before ceding matters to reliever Ethan Horne in the third frame.

But Catawba -- a No. 4 seed which outlasted Lincoln Memorial earlier in the day just to keep its regional hopes alive -- proved worthy of the challenge.

After a lead-off walk by Horne, third baseman Jacob Nester launched an RBI double to left-center field, scoring the speedy Malachi Hanes and stretching the lead to 6-0.

UMO, however -- long on moxie and offensive firepower -- refused to go quietly.

Second baseman Jack Sherrill reach on an error in the fifth, and was moved on a sacrifice by shortstop Ricky Surum. A walk to Drew Ellis loaded the bags, which catcher Jose Lopez vacated in part with a two-RBI double to center field.

Catawba 6, UMO 2.

The Trojans continued to push Catawba from there, bringing hard-throwing Kodi Whitley to the hill in relief of Horne, who allowed just one run over three innings.

Whitley facilitated UMO's trek to the seventh frame, when the Trojans crossed runs on a wild pitch by Catawba's Connor Johnson and a piercing RBI single from center-fielder Trae Sweeting.

The drama heightened in the eighth, when shortstop Ricky Surum -- robbed of a home run in the seventh inning on a wall-scaling grab by Catawba's Bryce Fowler -- plated Sherrill with a base knock to left field.

UMO's rally ultimately fell short in the ninth as Catawba hurler Bryan Blanton retired the side in 1-2-3 order to secure his team's fare to the regional final this morning versus unblemished North Georgia.

"We battled today, got down early -- but hung in there," UMO skipper Carl Lancaster said of the outcome. "We had a heckuva year."

Post-game, a crowd of UMO enthusiasts milled along the left-field fence, steeped in varied degrees of stunned bewilderment. The players, to whom no consolation was acceptable, began the due diligence of field prep on a diamond they hoped to use as a launching pad to next week's big show in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Perhaps the best perspective offered on the affair was provided by Lancaster, who fought through a swell of emotion when asked to crystallize his thoughts on this spring's club, a personality-driven mixture of unimpeachable talent and all-region acclaim.

"Ricky Surum," the coach said softly. "Ricky."