MOUNT OLIVE (April 19) – The University of Mount Olive baseball team saw its rally fall short on Friday evening in a 9-7 loss to Belmont Abbey in the opening game of the series in Conference Carolinas play at Scarborough Field.
With the loss, the Trojans fall to 30-12 this season behind a 17-7 mark in conference action. Belmont Abbey has won three of the previous five meetings in the series with the sides facing off four times during the 2023 campaign. Meanwhile, the Crusaders snap a three-game skid and improve to 22-19 overall with a 14-11 record in league play.
After an hour-long rain/lightning delay in the top of the first, Belmont Abbey got onto the board in the second frame after scoring on an RBI ground out, 1-0. Mount Olive immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double to right field by redshirt junior Case Kermode, 1-1. In the top of the third after a pair of walks, the Crusaders launched a three-run homer to right field to build a 4-1 edge. Later in the inning, BAC scored on a throwing error on a double steal attempt, 5-1. Belmont Abbey delivered a grand slam in the top of the fourth to take a significant 9-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Trojans cut into the deficit with three runs on three hits. Senior Dylan Jeffries produced an RBI single to left-center before Kermode belted a two-run homer to left field, his team-leading eighth of the year, 9-4. Mount Olive worked the deficit down to 9-7 in the sixth, as sophomore Lane McLean recorded a sacrifice fly to right field before senior Joshua Kabayama hit an RBI double to right-center. The next at-bat, senior David Cucci laced an RBI single to right field. In the bottom of the eighth, UMO managed to load the bases with one out, but Belmont Abbey was able to escape the jam with a strikeout and fielder's choice.
Jeffries finished 3-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored, while Kermode went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run scored, and one walk.
Senior Ethan Imbimbo suffered the loss (6-2) after surrendering five runs (three earned) on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 2.0 innings pitched. Junior Thomas Hill delivered a stellar performance in relief after tossing 4.1 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
The Trojans continue the three-game series with Belmont Abbey tomorrow, Saturday, April 20, with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
