MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — The University of Mount Olive Trojans celebrated Senior Day in style, sweeping Shorter University with a 3-1 win in Game 1 and a 12-7 victory in Game 2 to improve to 26-18 overall and 18-12 in Conference Carolinas play with one week remaining in the regular season.
Shorter struck first in the opener, scoring an unearned run in the first inning. Mount Olive quickly answered as Lane McLean crossed the plate on an error to tie the game at 1-1. From there, both teams settled into a pitchers’ duel before the Trojans broke through.
Mount Olive took the lead in the fourth inning when Ryder Hancock scored on a balk, giving the Trojans a 2-1 advantage. The Trojans added insurance in the sixth as Hancock doubled and later scored on an RBI single from Mac James.
Aidan Newton took control on the mound, delivering a complete-game performance. Newton allowed just four hits and one unearned run while striking out nine batters to secure the 3-1 victory. With the outing, Newton lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.90.
The Trojans carried that momentum into Game 2, jumping out to an early lead with three runs in the first inning. Rowan Watt drove in the opening run before Hancock delivered a two-run double to make it 3-0.
Mount Olive extended the lead in the third inning as Mac James added a sacrifice fly to push the advantage to 4-0. The Trojans broke the game open in the fourth inning when Watt delivered a three-run double — his team-leading 20th double of the season. Hancock followed with an RBI triple, and Kayden Crawford added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 9-0.
The Trojans continued to pile on, scoring three more runs across the fifth and sixth innings. Watt drove in two additional runs while Josh Mason contributed an RBI to stretch the lead to 12-0.
Shorter mounted a late comeback attempt, scoring in the seventh and eighth innings before erupting for five runs in the ninth. The rally included an error and a two-run home run from Reece Newberry, trimming the deficit to 12-7, but Mount Olive held on to complete the sweep.
Pete Honse set the tone in Game 2, pitching six shutout innings while allowing four hits and striking out six. The Trojan bullpen — Lucas Glover, J.J. DeVos, Colin Athey, Matt Schepel, Carter Daniels, and Mike Walsh — combined to close out the victory.
With the sweep, Mount Olive enters the final week of the regular season with momentum. The Trojans will travel to face Newberry College in Florence, South Carolina, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
