AIKEN, S.C. -- Bradon Reitano went 4-for-5 with five RBI and a three-run home run in the seventh as Mount Olive won 14-3 against Shepherd in the Prestige Appliance Classic baseball tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The Trojans (4-1) got the bats started early as the leadoff batter Jay Gonzalez singled. DeAndre Allen got on after a hit by pitch and Reitano drove in Gonzalez and Allen with an RBI single and Reitano advanced to second on an error from the left fielder. Rob Shipman kept the offense going with an RBI single to center field that scored Reitano.
Shepherd (0-2) responded in the bottom half as two singles set up Ryan Messina's two RBI double to left field. The Rams inched closer bringing the score to 3-2.
Mount Olive continued its tear for the second consecutive day scoring more than four runs in the second inning. The Trojans blasted home five runs in the inning which put them in the led comfortably for the rest of game.
Jordy Farthing (1-0) picked up his first win of the season after working five innings giving up three runs off five hits. Josh Frederick worked a near perfect four innings in relief giving up only one hit and striking out four to earn his first save of the year.
No. 1 Tampa 8, No. 8 South Carolina-Aiken 4
AIKEN, S.C. -- After scoring five runs in the top of the ninth, Tampa bested South Carolina-Aiken 8-4 Son aturday afternoon as part of the Prestige Appliance Classic.
Relief pitcher Preston Packrall (1-0) threw seven hitless innings to earn the win and move the Spartans to 5-0 on the season. He struck out three and walked two en route to his masterful performance which included four consecutive frames without a baserunner.
Fellow Senior Kevin McNorton picked up his second save of the season in the 8-4 victory.
Pacer reliever Caleb Smith (0-1) was tabbed with the loss after allowing five runs, two earned in the top of the ninth. USC-Aiken ended the day with a 3-2 overall record.
Outfielder Connor Obrochta hit a bases-clearing double down the left-field line in the ninth to give Tampa the lead. Infielders Orlando Rivera and Giovanny Alfonzo each recorded a pair of base-hits for Tampa while Tyler Ding, Michael Danner and Jacob Tillotson each plated a runner.
Pacers centerfielder Kody Belcher notched four stolen bases, three hits and a RBI despite the 8-4 loss. The Spartans put together five runs in the ninth to start their season a perfect 5-0.
No. 2 Minnesota State-Mankato, Arkansas-Monticello (Rained out)
MONTICELLO, Ark. -- Minnesota State-Mankato will have to wait one more day to kick off the 2014 regular season as inclement weather forced the cancellation of Saturday's doubleheader between the Mavericks and Arkansas-Monticello.
The two teams will play a twinbill on Sunday in what will be UAM's home opener and MSU's season opener.
Tabor 4, No. 3 St. Edward's 2
Tabor 4, No. 3 St. Edward's 3
MCKINNEY, Texas -- St. Edward's dropped both ends of the doubleheader to Tabor on Saturday afternoon at Craig Ranch. The Hilltoppers fell in the first game 4-2 and would drop the second game 4-3 on a walk-off hit-by-pitch.
In game one, Tabor (2-0) got on the board in the first inning on a groundout.
St. Edward's (2-4) answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Wes Koenig doubled in a run and would come in to score on an error to make it 2-1.
Hilltopper starting pitcher Brannon Easterling settled down after the first inning and kept the Bluejays off of the scoreboard for the next four innings.
In the sixth inning, the Hilltoppers defense ran into trouble. Tabor scored two runs off of four St. Edward's miscues. It would add an insurance run in the seventh, and the Hilltoppers could not answer.
In the second game, it was St. Edward's who scored first, when it put up two runs in the first inning. Koenig and Ransom LaLonde each had RBI during the inning that gave the Hilltoppers a 2-0 lead.
Tabor would get a run back in the second inning, but the Hilltoppers matched its run in the third inning when LaLonde executed a perfect squeeze bunt to score Cutter Runte from third to make it, 3-1.
The Blue Jays would tie the score in the third inning with two runs, helped by two errors by St. Edward's.
Collin Sherrod was outstanding through six innings of work. The southpaw allowed three runs (one earned) off of six hits, while walking one and striking out eight batters.
Sherrod gave way to Becks in the bottom of the seventh. The Bluejays got their first two batters on and then sacrificed them to second and third. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Beck hit Troy Torres to force in the winning run.
No. 6 Delta State 8, Palm Beach Atlantic 7
JUPITER, Fla. -- Delta State picked up the first victory on the season, defeating Palm Beach Atlantic 8-7. The win gives DSU a split of the season-opening games against PBA, following the 4-2 loss Friday night.
Travis Northern started for the Statesmen (1-1) on the mound, lasting into the fifth inning. Northern allowed a pair of runs in the first inning to score and a total of four during the outing while spreading out eight hits and four strike outs.
Trevor Blocker (1-0) picked up the win in relief. Blocker, who came in to relieve Northern, pitched 1 and 2/3 innings and gave up one run and struck out three.
The DSU offense exploded in the fifth inning with five runs, scoring the final three run in the sixth inning. Ten batters came to the plate in the fifth inning, with Benji Sullivan starting the action with a single to right field. Dex Herrington would double to deep right center field, driving in Sullivan and Kasey Hinton -- who had come on to run for Juan Rivera after Rivera walked. Herrington ended the day going 4-for-5, with 3 RBI and scoring a pair of runs.
