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Athletic News
05/31/2008 - TROJANS WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!
Josh Harrison’s two-run single and Dylan Holton’s three-run double gave Mount Olive a five-run lead in the first inning and Casey Hodges took a shutout into the eighth inning as the Trojans captured their first-ever national championship in any sport with a 6-2 victory over Ouachita Baptist in the Championship Game of the 2008 NCAA Division II Baseball National Finals Saturday at Sauget, Ill. Ryan Schlecht retired the side in order in the ninth on seven pitches to seal the win.
Mount Olive finishes the season with a 58-6 record, including a perfect 4-0 mark in its first appearance in the National Finals. The Trojans won 24 of their final 26 games.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Mount Olive head coach Carl Lancaster at the post-game press conference. “This is what you dream of.”
Hodges was among five Trojans named to the All-Tournament Team, joining shortstop David Cooper, third baseman Rich Racobaldo and outfielders Jesse Lancaster and Alex Vertcnik. Ouachita Baptist pitcher Steve Smith, who went 1-0 with a save in three appearances, was named Most Outstanding Player.
Saturday’s contest was a rematch of the first round, won by Mount Olive 6-5 as Harrison’s two-out walk-off bases-loaded rbi-single capped a four-run ninth inning.
David Cooper led off the top of the first with an opposite-field single to left and Alex Vertcnik drew a one-out walk. After a fly out, the inning appeared to be over on a ground ball to third, but a throwing error loaded the bases for the Trojans. Harrison drove the first pitch he saw up the middle to give Mount Olive a 2-0 lead.
Jesse Lancaster drew a walk to load the bases again and Holton pulled a 1-0 pitch into the gap in right-center to clear the bases and extend the Trojans’ lead to 5-0. The hit was Holton’s first since a two-hit performance against Ouachita Baptist in the first round.
“I hadn’t been hitting the ball too well here,” said Holton, a sophomore from Pitcou County, Nova Scotia. “I waited on a fastball and was able to drive it.”
Hodges says having a five-run cushion before throwing his first pitch helped him relax on the mound.
“Having a five-run lead in the first is a pitcher’s best friend,” said Hodges, a third team All-American. “That definitely calms the nerves.”
The Trojans had a chance to break the game open in the top of the third, loading the bases with one out. Harrison was hit by a pitch, Lancaster singled and took second on a throw to third. Holton walked on four pitches, but Ouachita Baptist pitcher struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
Hodges (10-1) retired nine of the first 11 batters he faced, allowing two-out singles in the first and third innings. Hodges benefited from double plays in the fourth and fifth innings.
Ouachita Baptist (51-16) had runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth on Jim Streicher’s leadoff single and a one-out walk to Destan Makonnen. Chad Taylor flied out to Harrison in center and shortstop Cooper’s relay nailed Streicher, who tried to tag and advance to third. Drew Maus led off the fifth with a single, but was doubled up on a line out to Racobaldo at third.
“Those two double plays were huge,” said Lancaster. “This team came back from seven runs down against Tampa, so we know they were going to keep battling.” Ouachita Baptist erased a 7-0 deficit in a 12-10 win over Tampa Tuesday in an elimination game.
Mount Olive added a two-out run in the top of the fifth to take a 6-0 lead. Harrison led off with a double and after nearly getting doubled up on an infield line out, advanced to third on Holton’s groundout to the right side. Joseph Westbrook added a single up the middle to bring home Harrison. All of the Trojans’ six runs were with two outs.
Hodges retired the side in order in the sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. Chad Taylor singled with one out and Maus was hit by a pitch. But Hodges got out of the jam on a strikeout and a fly out to left.
Ouachita Baptist broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. Lockwood led off with a double to left-center and scored on an errant throw to first on Justin Pennell’s ground ball to second. Lockwood’s double was the first extra-base hit allowed by Hodges. Pennell scored on Streicher’s third hit of the game, an rbi-double to left-center.
Hodges then retired the next three batters on an infield pop-up, a groundout to first and his sixth strikeout of the game. The eighth would be Hodges’ final innings.
Schlecht, the 2008 Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Year and an NCBWA First Team All-American, made quick work in the ninth inning. Schlecht retired the side on three consecutive groundouts to short, prompting a pile-up of Trojans on the middle of the infield.
“I was a little nervous at first, but once I threw that first pitch, I felt good,” said Schlecht, who also recorded a save in the championship game of the South Atlantic Regional.
The national title comes in Lancaster’s 22nd year at Mount Olive. The Trojans have reached the NCAA Tournament eight times since Mount Olive reclassified from NAIA to NCAA II in 1995-96. The national championship is special not only to Lancaster, but also to his son Jesse, who batted .467 (7-for-16) at the National Finals.
“This is something I’ve always dreamed of,” said Lancaster. “Growing up, I’ve seen so many of my dad’s teams come so close. To be part of his first national championship game is very special.”
Coach Lancaster was quick to praise his assistant coaches, pitching coach Aaron Akin and hitting coach Rob Watt.
“They’ve allowed me to simply be a manager,” said Lancaster. “They’re such a huge part of our success.”
Mount Olive collected 12 hits and survived 11 runners left on base. Vertcnik, who batted .500 (8-for-16) at the National Finals, singled in each of his last two at-bats to finish the season on a 26-game hitting streak. Erik Lovett, Lancaster and Harrison also had two hits apiece for the Trojans.
The week at the National Finals proved especially rewarding for Harrison, who batted .389 (7-for-18) in the tournament. Hours after his game-winning hit in the first round Monday, he proposed to his girlfriend. A wedding date has not been announced as of yet.
“This has definitely been the best week ever,” said Harrison, a senior from Wake Forest, N.C. (Rolesville HS). “We won a national championship and I’m marrying a wonderful girl.”
Harrison's game-winning hit in the first round set the tone for both teams at the National Finals. Mount Olive needed only two wins to reach the Championship Game and had two days off during the week. Ouachita Baptist had to win four consecutive elimination games and play seven days in a row, including the completion of the suspended game Monday.
Mount Olive graduates 12 seniors from this year’s squad. Lancaster says he hopes the national championship trophy is only a part of what his players take home from this week.
“Winning the national championship, winning the trophy is special,” said Lancaster. “The guys don’t realize it now, but what’s more important are the memories and the friendships they’ll take from this week and this whole season. This has been a special year.”