MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. - The No. 2 University of Mount Olive baseball team dropped the series-opener with Barton College 2-1 in Conference Carolinas action Friday afternoon at Scarborough Field. UMO falls to 10-3 overall 7-2 in conference, while Barton goes to 5-7, 4-3.

GAME INFORMATION
The Trojans started the with the bat as Blake McLean double on the first pitch on the inning. Vito Patierno worked hi count a bit deeper and with a 3-1 counted blast a ball off the right center field wall, scoring McLean and putting UMO in front 1-0. 

Barton found a response in the fourth on an RBI ground-rule double tying the game at one. The game remained deadlocked for the next four innings, until the Bulldogs took the lead on an RBI-single in the top of the eighth. 

The catch of the game occurred in the bottom of the eighth when Zach Smith lifted a pitch over the right field wall only to have it taken away by the BC right fielder taking two potential runs off the board. That hits was the final real threat for UMO as the fell 2-1.

TROJAN LEADERS
Patierno led the team with one RBI. Reed Parris (3-1) was pinned with the loss going seven and a third allowing a run off two hits and struck out seven.

BARTON LEADERS
Dylan Scaranda collected two RBI to lead the way for the Bulldogs.

KEY MOMENT
The key moment came in the eighth when Barton gained the lead for the first and final time and never relinquished it.

ON DECK
Mount Olive Trojans will continue the four-game series tomorrow at Scarborough Field at 12 p.m.