D2 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL: Trojans' bullpen answers the call

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 17, 2017 9:59 AM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- It's a start German Reyes will remember for a long time.

His teammates won't forget it, either.

University of Mount Olive faced elimination from the Conference Carolinas tournament.

Its chances of hosting the Southeast Regional precariously hung by a thread.

"I didn't feel any pressure," Reyes said. "I just said to myself 'go out there and compete.' If I can go only three innings, somebody else is going to pick me up. I just threw whatever they put down and it worked out."

Indeed.

Reyes hurled a complete game -- a five-hit gem that forced a winner-take-all meeting against Belmont Abbey the next day. He permitted an earned run, walked five and sent six Crusaders back to the dugout with a strikeout by their name in the scorebook.

The southpaw induced seven ground balls.

Abbey hit 13 cans of corn.

Reyes threw an eye-popping, elbow-bending 156 pitches -- 95 for strikes.

"I like playing tough competition...not teams that we just know we're going beat," said Reyes, a JUCO transfer from Miami Dade (Fla.) Community College.

"Once you get onto the field and you don't give it all you've got, you're going to be taken down."

UMO's bullpen undoubtedly answered the call throughout the conference tournament.

Trey Pate worked three-plus innings and set the table for Kodi Whitley to earn his first win of the season -- in just his second appearance -- as the Trojans eliminated North Greenville.

The next day Braxton Shetley responded with an eight-inning, 138-pitch outing against Pfeiffer, which beat the top-seeded Trojans on day one. The Falcons struggled to get balls out of the infield on a consistent basis.

After Reyes' masterpiece, two all-conference performaners -- Bruce Zimmerman and Austin Hutchinson -- combined for 6 2/3 innings in the title tilt. Ethan Horne threw 1 1/3 innings. Zack Mozingo closed the door for the win.

"I think it's just really cool to be on a staff where you can pitch with ease because you know you can compete and go as hard as you can," Pate said. "It's good that we have an infield that we have so we're able to throw strikes and trust that we're going to make the plays that should be made.

"It makes you pitch easy. You're care free out there, just throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters."

Pate saw limited time in 2016.

The left-hander experienced a learning curve.

He absorbed knowledge from Hutchison, Zimmerman, Brighton Hudson -- the weekend workhorses who led the Trojans to the regionals a year ago.

Pitchers up and down the UMO staff have used different ways to attack hitters this season. The coaching staff may call on a reliever to face one batter, then go to the bullpen again. They're able to play the odds a little more, pick and choose if you will.

"It feels good to come from a year when I really wasn't considered to throw in close situations, and now I'm in the 'talks' when we need a guy to go out there and pitch for extended innings in crucial situations," Pate said.

The North Duplin grad has undoubtedly delivered this spring.

He's filed a 6-0 worksheet and 2.27 ERA in 43.2 innings on the hill.

"(I have) confidence in myself," Pate said. "I don't have to attack hitters, really. I can stay away and just let our guys make plays. It's been fun to pitch when you're on a good team like this."