Diamond Bishops drop pair of contests to Division II Mt. Olive

Mt. Olive, NC - North Carolina Wesleyan's baseball team dropped a pair of contests on Wednesday evening, falling to defending Division II National Champion Mt. Olive College. The Trojans took the opener 7-5 thanks to a two-run homer in the sixth that broke a 5-5 tie, while MOC hurler Ryan Kussmaul tossed a two-hitter in the nightcap en route to an 8-2 victory.

The Battling Bishops now stand at 25-18 on the season, while Mt. Olive improves to 30-18.

In game one, North Carolina Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when leadoff batter Luke Williford drove the fourth pitch of the game over the centerfield fence. The Battling Bishops added three runs in the top of the fourth as Daniel Moore tripled home two runs and scored on Joel Creef’s squeeze bunt to make it a 4-0 game.

Mount Olive got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Trojans put together a two-out rally. Walks to Jesse Lancaster and Andy Hilliard sandwiched around a double down the left field line by Joseph Westbrook loaded the bases. Lancaster came home when Ritchie Franklin lined a single off the shin of North Carolina Wesleyan starting pitcher Max Knowles.

After a few warm-up tosses, Knowles got out of the bases-loaded threat on an infield pop out, but did not come back for the fifth inning.

Mount Olive struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game as Alex Vertcnik’s opposite-field triple to left-center brought in the first run. Vertcnik scored when Rich Racobaldo reached on an error and Racobaldo came home on Westbrook’s single to tie the game 4-4.

Wesleyan regained the lead in the top of the sixth as Zach Alexander led off with a double to right-center. Justin Rahm lined a single to center to put the Battling Bishops back on top 5-4 with nobody out, but Novicki recorded a pick-off and two strikeouts to end the inning.

Franklin beat out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the sixth and pinch-runner Montoya Young went to second on pinch-hitter Jackson Massey’s sacrifice. Dylan Holton’s single to center brought home the tying run and one out later, Racobaldo drove a pitch over the left field fence to give Mount Olive its first lead of the game. The home run was Racobaldo’s 12th of the season.

Novicki (3-0) retired 10 of the final 12 batters he faced and retired the side in order in the top of the seventh on a strikeout and a pair of groundouts. He recorded a career-high eight strikeouts in the game. Andrew Webb (1-2) suffered the loss for the Bishops.

In the nightcap, Kussmaul (5-2) retired the first 17 batters he faced, striking out the side in the second and third innings. Kussmaul lost his bid for a perfect game with two outs in the top of the sixth when a hit batsman gave NCWC its first baserunner. Williford then broke up the no-hitter and shutout with an RBI-single, and he eventually scored on a throwing error to pull the Battling Bishops within 3-2.

Mount Olive had previously built a 3-0 lead on single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.

In the bottom of the sixth, Lancaster beat out an infield single to lead off the inning and eventually scored on Airlon Vinson’s RBI-groundout after advancing to third on a single by Westbrook. Franklin was intentionally walked with first base open and Andy Hilliard’s infield single loaded the bases. Holton followed with a single through the right side to drive in two runs and extend the Trojans’ lead to 6-2. After a groundout advanced the runners to second and third, Racobaldo brought both runners home with a single to left.

Kussmaul opened the top of the seventh with his career-high 10th strikeout of the game before giving up a single to right. He proceeded to seal the win on a game-ending 4-6-3 double play. NCWC starting pitcher Jonathan Shearon (4-5) scattered six hits through five innings before running into trouble in the sixth.

Wesleyan will continue its preparations for NCAA Tournament play by traveling to Fredericksburg, VA on Friday for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader with Mary Washington.

This story courtesy of MOC Sports Information...

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