GASTONIA, N.C. (May 1) – Despite a six-run lead in the seventh, the No. 7-seeded University of Mount Olive baseball team suffered a heartbreaking 11-10 loss in extra innings to No. 2 Young Harris in the first round of the Conference Carolinas Championship at CaroMont Health Park on Thursday.
Final Score: Young Harris 11, Mount Olive 10 (10 Inn.)
Records: Young Harris (38-13), Mount Olive (30-20)
Next Up: UMO will face the loser of Belmont Abbey/Barton in an elimination game tomorrow, Friday, May 2, at 1:00 p.m. at Sims Legion Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Following a pair of scoreless innings, the Mountain Lions established a 1-0 lead after drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the third. The Trojans responded in the top of the fourth with an RBI single from redshirt senior Mike Kenney and a two-run homer to left-center by junior Jakhari Howard, 3-1. Young Harris answered in the bottom half of the frame with a sacrifice fly to center field before adding another run in the fifth to tie the contest at 3-3.
- Mount Olive jumped back in front in the top of the fourth after scoring on a throwing error, but the Mountain Lions countered with an RBI single to center field, 4-4. In the top of the seventh, the Trojans tallied six runs on three hits, highlighted by a two-run double from junior Jon Howard and a three-run blast by Jakhari Howard, his second homer of the game, 10-4.
- Young Harris mounted its comeback starting in the seventh with a pair of runs before launching a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the eighth, 10-10. The Mountain Lions ultimately earned the walk-off win in the 10th inning with an RBI single up the middle, 11-10.
AT THE PLATE:
- Jon Howard: 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Mike Kenney: 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB
- Tariq Talley: 3-for-5, 1 R, 2 SB
- Jakhari Howard: 2-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R
ON THE MOUND:
- Junior Lucas Glover took a no-decision after yielding three earned runs with six strikeouts and five walks over 5.0 innings pitched (92 pitches).
- Fifth-year Trey Deutsch (2-2) suffered the loss after surrendering two earned runs on four hits with one strikeout and one walk in 2.0 innings of relief (45 pitches).
