WILSON, N.C. - The No. 5 University of Mount Olive baseball team fell 4-3 in extra innings to Belmont Abbey College the 2021 Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship early Saturday morning in Wilson, N.C. UMO goes to 33-9 overall, while Belmont Abbey goes to 21-19.

GAME INFORMATION
Mount Olive fell behind early as two runs came home on an error via the Trojans left fielder and Belmont Abbey moved out to a 2-0 lead. 

UMO had an opportunity to tie the game in the second as Dusty Baker's shot to left field was initially called a two-run home run, however after a conference with the four-man umpiring crew was overturned to a ground-rule double. The Trojans were unable to score any runs in the inning and the offense stalled.

Mount Olive was able to however battle back after two more scoreless innings and struck in the fifth. Joe Mason scored the first run on a solo home run and then Gunner Tolston, put the Trojans in the lead, 3-2 with a two-run shot of his own and the game became knotted at three after the fifth.

Belmont Abbey then tied the game on a Mason Dodd solo home run in the sixth.

The game remained scoreless after nine, forcing the game to go into extra innings for the first time all tournament. After Mount Olive was unable to score in the top of the 10th, Belmont Abbey won the game on another Dodd solo home run and took the victory 4-3.

TROJAN LEADERS
Gunner Tolston led the Trojans with two RBI. Joe Koehler (3-3) was pinned with the loss in relief.

BELMONT ABBEY LEADERS
Mason Dodd collected two RBI and two base hits to lead the way for the Crusaders.

KEY MOMENT
The walk-off home run by Dodd sealed the win for BAC and sent UMO into the loser's bracket.

ON DECK
Mount Olive will continue play in the 2021 Conference Carolinas Baseball Championships, with the No. 3 seed Erskine in an elimination game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Wilson, N.C the neutral site host for the Championships.