DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (13-19, 9-9 CC) was defeated by the University of Mount Olive (13-15, 8-10 CC) in two out of three games in a weekend series at Grier Field on Friday and Saturday.

After tough losses in the first two contests, the Erskine offense exploded for 19 runs in a dominant win in the series finale.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Mount Olive 20-5 Erskine
A Pierce Radke sacrifice fly canceled out a UMO run in the top of the first, but the Trojans regained their lead with a four-run third. Cole Savage's two-run single in the bottom half cut the deficit to two, but UMO scored in each of its next two at-bats to create some breathing room again. Then, the visitors posted an 11-spot in the top of the seventh to run away from the Fleet in the opener.

Game 2: Mount Olive 7-4 Erskine
Hoping to bounce back on Saturday, Chase Grube delivered an excellent start on the mound for the Fleet, keeping Mount Olive off the board through the first five innings. Offensively, the Fleet got RBIs from Noah Hill and Drew Potts in the second, and then Danny Villafane and Hill each added to the Erskine lead in the fifth, who looked to be in total control with a 4-0 lead. However, the visitors scored twice in the sixth and used to a five-run seventh to stun the Fleet.

Game 3: Erskine 19-6 Mount Olive
In the finale, Mount Olive jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, but the Fleet bats came roaring to life, as they scored in each of their final seven innings at the plate to conclude the weekend. Carson Yates' sacrifice fly got Erskine on the board in the second and a two-run blast from Ricky Dober in the third tied the game. Mount Olive hit a solo home run in the next half-inning to go back in front, but Pierce Radke's two-run single in the bottom of the fourth gave the Fleet their first lead of the game and one they would not let go. An RBI from Cole Savage capped a four-run frame from the Fleet. In the fifth, Mason McManus, Radke, and Dober each had two-RBI hits to blow it open, 13-4. A big fly from McManus and then runs driven in by Danny Villafane and Savage tacked on to Erskine's lead in the sixth, which ballooned to 17-4. On the mound, Kendall Brewer and Nick Groover delivered solid outings out of the bullpen to put the finishing touches on a convincing win for the Fleet to wrap up the weekend.

THE PLAYER
Ricky Dober tallied a hit in all three games of the weekend, going 5-for-12 at the plate, including a huge performance in the finale. Dober hit a pair of home runs, scored three times, and tallied four RBIs in the Fleet's 19-run outburst. His two-run home run in the fifth capped a six-run frame for the Fleet and brought his season tally to a team-leading five.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine concludes this home stand with a rematch against Augusta University (15-14, 11-7 PBC) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Grier Field. The Jaguars edged the Fleet, 10-9, in Augusta back in early February.

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