College Baseball: Catawba downs Mount Olive, 5-3

SALISBURY – After stranding 14 runners on base, the University of Mount Olive baseball team suffered a narrow 5-3 loss at Catawba on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference play.

With the loss, the Trojans drop to 5-3 this season behind a 3-2 mark on the road in 2024. The Trojans have won five of the last seven games in the series against Catawba and will meet later this year on March 19. Meanwhile, the Indians improve to 8-3 overall with a perfect 4-0 record at home.

In the top of the first inning, senior Vito Patierno delivered a leadoff single to right field before fellow senior Alden Cottle drew a walk. Following a wild pitch, graduate student Landon Choboy laced an RBI single to center field to take a 1-0 advantage. Graduate student Gordon Pihl produced an RBI on a sacrifice fly to right-center to extend the lead, 2-0.

After three scoreless innings, the Indians totaled three runs on four hits to grab their first lead of the contest, 3-2. Mount Olive quickly responded in the top of the sixth with a solo homer to left field by senior Dylan Jeffries, his second of the season, to tie the game, 3-3. The Trojans stranded seven runners on base over the next three innings, including four individuals in scoring position.

In the bottom of the eighth, Catawba capitalized on a pair of wild pitches and an infield error to escape with a 5-3 win on Tuesday.

Junior Matt Poole suffered the loss (0-1) after surrendering two runs on one hit with one walk in his relief appearance. Senior Justin Koehler earned the start and tossed 4.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and five walks.

Mount Olive opens Conference Carolinas play this weekend with a three-game series at Emmanuel on Feb. 23-24.