Harrison, Lancaster rip homers in Trojans rout

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 22, 2008 2:26 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Josh Harrison slugged two home runs and collected five RBI as No. 2-ranked Mount Olive College defeated Shaw University 15-3 at Scarborough Field on Thursday afternoon.

Sophomore Jesse Lancaster mashed his first-ever collegiate home run for the Trojans, who claimed their 11th consecutive victory and improved to 13-1 overall.

Four pitchers combined for a three-hitter. Starter Craig Beasley pitched four innings and Todd Jeffreys (2-0) pitched two perfect innings for the win. Kyle Jones and Thomas Newsome retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.

Lancaster yielded a one-out single in the ninth before ending the game on a 5-4-3 double play. The Trojan staff retired 17 consecutive batters during one stretch from the third to ninth innings.

Mount Olive grabbed a 4-0 first-inning lead on Lancaster's RBI single and Harrison's three-run blast. After the Bears climbed within 4-3, Jason Sherrer collected a third-inning RBI and Rich Racobaldo stole home.

Erik Lovett, the reigning Daktronics Division II player of the year, and Sherrer capped a four-run, fourth-inning uprising with an RBI hit apiece. Lancaster ripped his homer with David Cooper on board.

Harrison added his second round-tripper in a three-run sixth. The Trojans added two more runs in the eighth.

Mount Olive begins defense of is Conference Carolinas title Saturday afternoon at in-state rival St. Andrews. The doubleheader begins at noon.