BELMONT, N.C. — Mount Olive battled throughout Saturday's conference doubleheader at No. 20 Belmont Abbey but ultimately dropped both contests, falling 11-2 in game one and 22-5 in game two.

Game One – Belmont Abbey 11, Mount Olive 2
The opener remained tight through the middle innings. Belmont Abbey struck first in the opening frame, but Mount Olive answered in the third. Josh Mason doubled down the left-field line and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Mac James to even the score at 1-1.
After the Crusaders regained the lead in the fifth, Garrett Moffett delivered a solo home run to right center in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2 and shift momentum briefly in the Trojans' favor.
Belmont Abbey responded in the bottom half of the sixth with a solo homer to reclaim the lead before breaking the game open in the eighth inning. The Crusaders plated seven runs in the frame, highlighted by a grand slam and back-to-back home runs later in the inning to secure the 11-2 victory. 

Game Two – Belmont Abbey 22, Mount Olive 5
Belmont Abbey carried its offensive momentum into the second game, scoring four runs in the first inning and adding five more in the second, including a grand slam.
Mount Olive answered in the second inning when Kayden Crawford lifted a sacrifice fly to score Jakhari Howard. The Trojans added another run in the third after Lane McLean doubled and later scored on a single from Jakhari Howard.
The Trojans' biggest push came in the fourth inning. Rowan Watt delivered a two-RBI double down the left-field line, and McLean followed with an RBI double to trim the deficit to 11-5.
However, the nationally ranked Crusaders responded again with a four-run fourth inning and continued to capitalize late, adding insurance runs in the fifth and sixth to close out the 22-5 decision.
Mount Olive returns tomorrow to finish out the three game series against the in-conference opponent with games starting at noon, depending on weather.