Florence, SC - Mount Olive showed strength against the thirteenth-ranked team in Francis Marion, but was unable to build on the win last evening.  The Trojans fell 3-7 in the middle match and were unable to win the overall series in game three, losing 4-18 in a brutal Conference Carolina's match up.  
Building on early momentum, game one saw the Trojans grab a brief lead when Josh Mason doubled and scored on Jakhari Howard's RBI double. However, the first turning point came in the bottom half as Riley Orr's three-run homer immediately swung the advantage to Francis Marion. The next key moment occurred with a Mount Olive error in the following inning, which set up Francis Marion for a three-run frame and a 6-1 lead.
Mount Olive attempted a comeback in the third, with Ryder Hancock and Josh Mason reaching ahead of Jakhari Howard. Howard delivered a two-RBI double, cutting the deficit to 6-3 and providing a momentum shift toward Mount Olive. However, a critical turning point followed: Francis Marion's pitching held strong, preventing further runs. Despite Howard's three RBIs and the Trojans holding Francis Marion scoreless over the last four innings, the early seven runs surrendered by Aidan Newton over five innings (five earned) ultimately decided the outcome, as Mike Walsh added a scoreless inning in relief and Mount Olive fell 7-3.
Game two followed a similar pattern. Mount Olive again scratched out a run in the first, with Lane McLean scoring on Josh Mason's RBI ground out. Francis Marion tied it in the bottom half, then took control in the second, capitalizing on walks, a wild pitch, and an error to build a 4-1 lead.
The Trojans continued to fight back in the middle innings. In the fourth, Garrett Moffett sparked the offense with an RBI double, and Mac James followed with an RBI single to make it 4-3. Mount Olive added another run in the fifth on a wild pitch, trimming the deficit to 7-4 and, for the moment, keeping the game within reach.
The decisive turning point emerged in the fifth inning, when Francis Marion seized momentum with an eight-run outburst fueled by 11 walks, four hit batters, and timely RBIs from Riley Orr and Jimmy Koza. This single inning shifted full control to the Patriots. Later, Charlie Bussey III's two-run homer capped a three-run eighth inning, sealing the 18-4 final.
As a result of these struggles, Lucas Glover was charged with the loss in game two, while multiple relievers were pressed into action as Mount Olive struggled to limit free passes.
The Trojans look to bounce back against Virginia State on Tuesday in a non-conference midweek match up scheduled for 4:00 PM.