Salisbury, N.C. —- The Catawba College baseball team scratched across two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and won the game on senior shortstop Levi Perrell's diving catch to defeat defending Conference Carolinas Tournament champion Mount Olive at Newman Park on Tuesday afternoon, 5-3.
TEAM STATS
- Catawba out-hit Mount Olive 7-6
- The Catawba Indians recorded three of five extra-base hits in the game; UMO hit the lone homer
- The Trojans committed two of three errors in the game
- Catawba recorded four of six steals in the game
- The Catawba Indian staff allowed three earned runs on six hits and 10 walks, striking out three; Mount Olive's pitchers allowed five earned runs on seven hits and 11 walks, striking out seven
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Drew Robertson went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs, including the go-ahead run in the eighth
- Bo Rusher hit a two-run double, walked and scored a run
- Cole Hales had an RBI triple, walked twice and earned the win on the mound, allowing no hits over the final 2.1 innings
- Perrell walked three times, scored a run and made the final out on a diving play in the field
- Casey Gouge, Brandon Rodgers and Harris Jackson combined for four shutout innings in relief
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST INNING
- Mount Olive's first three batters reached base safely; Landon Choboy's RBI single gave the Trojans an early lead
- Gordon Pihl's RBI sac fly made it a 2-0 lead
- UMO had runners on second and third with one out, but Catawba avoided any further dame with a foul out and a groundout
FIFTH INNING
- A sac bunt advanced runners to second and third for the Catawba Indians with two outs in the fifth
- Rusher doubled to right to tie the game at 2
- Hales followed it up with an RBI triple in the next at-bat to take the lead
SIXTH INNING
- UMO's Dylan Jeffries responded with a leadoff solo homer to tie the game at 3
EIGHTH INNING
- Robertson doubled down the left field line to lead off the eighth inning
- He advanced to third and scored on two wild pitches for the go-ahead run
- Perrell walked, stole second and scored on Hunter's RBI groundout to add an insurance score
NINTH INNING
- Mount Olive stole second with two outs in the ninth with the tying run at the blate
- The Trojans hit a ball to shallow center field, but Perrell came flying in for the game-ending snag
UP NEXT
- Catawba starts up South Atlantic Conference play this weekend, traveling to Tusculum for a three-game set that starts on Friday; first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
