MOUNT OLIVE (April 18) – Senior
Wade Kelly recorded a walk-off hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded on Friday evening, as the University of Mount Olive baseball program capped a three-run bottom of the ninth to earn a 7-6 win over Barton in Conference Carolinas play.
With the win, the Trojans secure a third-straight win to improve to 24-18 this season with a 13-12 record in league action. It marked the first meeting between the sides since competing in the opening round of the 2024 Conference Carolinas Championship. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs fall to 27-17 overall behind a 17-8 mark in conference play.
In the bottom of the ninth, trailing 6-4, redshirt junior
Garrett Moffett led off the frame with a single to left-center before redshirt sophomore
Jon Howard reached via a fielding error. Mount Olive loaded the bases with no outs following a stellar bunt single by redshirt senior
Mike Kenney directly in front of the plate. Junior
Ryder Hancock produced a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the deficit to 6-5 before another hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Redshirt junior
Anthony Mitta registered an RBI single to center field before Kelly was hit by a pitch to capture the 7-6 walk-off win.
Mount Olive established a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single up the middle from Moffett. Following a scoreless second inning, Barton tied the game at 1-1 with a two-out RBI single to right field. The Bulldogs added to their lead in the top of the fourth with two runs on two hits before tallying a run in the fifth, 4-1. In the bottom of the fifth, Hancock and redshirt junior
Jakhari Howard delivered RBI singles to close the gap to 4-3.
Barton regained its two-run advantage in the top of the sixth, but junior
Lane McLean countered with an RBI single to left field, 5-4. The Bulldogs launched a solo homer to left field to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
Kelly finished 3-for-4 with one RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base, while Moffett went 3-for-5 with one RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base.
Junior
Carson Gipson took a no-decision after yielding four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 4.0 innings pitched (88 pitches). Senior
Aiken Minton tossed 1.1 innings of relief before senior
Gavin Wilson recorded 1.2 scoreless frames on the mound. Graduate student
Hayden Myrick earned the win (3-2) after surrendering one earned run on two hits in 2.0 innings.
Mount Olive returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 19, for a doubleheader against Barton on Senior Day, starting at noon.
