GASTONIA, N.C. – The King University baseball team hit four home runs Wednesday evening in the opening round of the Conference Carolinas tournament, but ultimately fell to seventh-seeded Mount Olive 9-6.
THE BASICS:
FINAL SCORE: #7 Mount Olive 9, #10 King 6
LOCATION: Caromount Health Park; Gastonia, N.C.
KING HIGHLIGHTS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- It was the Tornado who got on the board first, as Borchardt hit his first home run of the day to start the second inning, a solo shot to left-center field to put the Tornado ahead 1-0.
- After six Mount Olive runs in the bottom of the inning, King began to cut into the Trojans lead in the third, scoring four runs during the inning.
- Jose Ruiz started the inning with a single to center field, with Patrick Corley following with a ground ball fielder's choice.
- After a groundout, Eargle stepped up to the plate and hit a double into the left field corner, scoring Corley and making it a 6-2 lead.
- The next two batters were Starrs and Borchardt, and they hit back-to-back home runs, with Starrs hitting a two-run home run down the left field line while Borchardt hit his to right field to bring King to within 6-5.
- After the Trojans scored a run in the bottom of the third, both teams started putting zeroes on the board until a two-run seventh inning for Mount Olive gave them a 9-5 lead.
- King got one run in the top of the ninth, as Hicks entered the game as a pinch hitter and hit a home run to left-center field to make the score 9-6, though the Tornado were unable to finish the rally.
FOR THE FOES
- John Horton picked up the win after throwing 6.1 innings in relief, allowing just one earned run with five strikeouts.
- Lane McLean, Garrett Moffett and Mike Kenney all had doubles for the Trojans, with McLean being one of two Trojans to record two RBI on the day
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: John Horton 6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Rhode Kirkland 1.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
