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March 28, 2024 5:41 am

No. 12 UMO edges rival Barton

MOUNT OLIVE – After scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth, the University of Mount Olive baseball team edged rival Barton by a 5-4 margin on Feb. 24 at Scarborough Field in Conference Carolinas action.

With the win, the Trojans stretched their winning streak to four straight and improved to 7-2 overall with a 3-1 mark in league play. All four games hosted at Scarborough this season have been decided by one run with UMO capturing three victories. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs dropped to 2-8 this season with a 0-4 record in conference action.

After escaping a bases-loaded jam at the top of the first, Mount Olive brought three runs across the plate in the bottom of the frame. Senior Jack Casbarro and junior Vito Patierno each reached base on a single before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. The Trojans tallied the opening run on a throwing error to take a 1-0 advantage. The following at-bat, junior Alden Cottle registered an RBI on a groundout before sophomore Cooper George delivered an RBI single up the middle to put UMO ahead 3-0.

The Bulldogs ended their scoreless drought in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to center to close the gap to 4-1. Barton cut the deficit to one run following a pair of sacrifice flies the next inning and trailed 4-3. The Bulldogs tied the contest at 4 in the seventh frame on a two-out RBI single down the right-field line.

In the bottom of the eighth, Cottle led off the inning with an infield single before advancing into scoring position on two wild pitches. With runners on the corners, Cottle crossed the plate on another wild pitch to take a 5-4 lead.

Junior Andrew Ledbetter earned the win (1-0) after not allowing a run with one hit and one strikeout over two innings of scoreless relief. Fellow junior Hayden Myrick made his sixth appearance out of the bullpen and finished with one run surrendered on one hit in two innings pitched.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics