ROME, Ga. (April 11) – After surrendering a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh, the Trojans were dealt a 5-3 loss at Shorter in Conference Carolinas play on Friday afternoon.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive baseball program drops to 21-17 overall behind an 11-11 mark in league action. It marked the first meeting between the sides in program history with the Hawks joining the Conference Carolinas for their inaugural season in 2024-25. Meanwhile, Shorter improves to 23-15 this season with an 11-11 record in conference play.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Trojans got on the scoreboard with an RBI double to left-center by redshirt senior
Mike Kenney, 1-0. Later in the top of the second, junior
Ryder Hancock laced an RBI single up the middle to extend the lead to 2-0. Mount Olive would add to its advantage in the third with a two-out, RBI single from redshirt sophomore
Jon Howard, 3-0.
Shorter answered in the bottom half of the third with a two-run single to right field to trail 3-2 before tying the contest in the fourth after scoring off an error in the infield, 3-3.
UMO was held without a hit for the final five frames of the contest, as the Hawks belted a go-ahead two-run homer to left-center in the seventh to seal a 5-3 win.
Hancock finished 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI while Howard went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
Junior
Carson Gipson (3-5) suffered the loss after yielding five earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 7.0 innings of work (111 pitches). Graduate student
Hayden Myrick tossed 1.0 inning of scoreless relief with one strikeout.
Mount Olive returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 12, for a doubleheader against Shorter, starting at noon.
