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March 28, 2024 5:05 am

No. 7 Mount Olive suffers loss at Wingate

WINGATE – Despite notching double-digit hits, the No. 7 Trojans had their rally fall short in a 6-3 loss at Wingate in the final non-conference game of the season on April 25.

With the loss, the University of Mount Olive baseball team dropped to 31-12 this season with a 12-8 mark on the road this year. The two sides split the season-long series with the home team claiming the win on both occasions. Meanwhile, Wingate improved to 30-16 overall with a 17-9 record at home.

After a scoreless first inning, the Bulldogs scored the game’s opening run on an error in the outfield following a double down the right-field line, 1-0. Both teams had limited opportunities over the next two innings before senior J.T. Stone led off the top of the fifth with a single up the middle. After a fielder’s choice and a walk, the Trojans had a pair of runners on base with two out. Wingate was able to escape the fifth leaving a pair of runners stranded. In the sixth, Mount Olive quickly loaded the bases with no outs following a double from junior Vito Patierno, a walk and an infield single from graduate student Landon Choboy. The next at-bat, the Bulldog defense made a catch in foul territory in right field before throwing out the runner on a home tagging from third. Wingate ultimately evaded any runs being scored.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs tallied three runs on four hits after scoring on an RBI double and a pair of RBI singles to center field to stretch the lead to 4-0. The Trojans answered in the eighth with sophomore Cooper George producing an RBI single to right field before Stone laced a two-run single to center field to cut the deficit to 4-3. In the bottom half, the Bulldogs responded with a two-run homer to right field to extend the lead to 6-3. Wingate retired the side in the top of the ninth to secure the win.

Stone finished three for four with two RBI, while Choboy went two for four with one run scored.

Junior Justin Koehler suffered the loss (3-1) despite yielding just one unearned run on one hit with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Fellow junior Ethan Imbimbo pitched one inning of scoreless relief with two strikeouts.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics