BELMONT, NC- Mount Olive scored six times in the top of the ninth to erase an 8-3 deficit and thwarted a Belmont Abbey rally in the bottom of the inning as the Trojans won the rubber game of a three game series 9-8 this afternoon at Abbey Yard. Mount Olive improves to 6-5 overall and 2-1 in the CVAC, while the Crusaders fall to 7-4 overall and 1-2 in the CVAC.

Mount Olive reliever Todd Jeffreys improved to 1-0 as he worked a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit. Patrick Ball earned his second save after he struck out the side in the ninth, after issuing a walk and hitting a batter. Evan Jonas took the loss after yielding four runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He falls to 2-2.

The Abbey stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first, getting the first run on a bases loaded walk. After a Trojans pitching change, designated hitter Seth Waller reached on a fielder's choice that brought home shortstop Josh Haire from third to widen the lead to 2-0. Third baseman Jordan Pegram made it 3-0 with a single to left that brought home first baseman Will Breslin.

The lead grew to 5-0 in the third after a single to left by Waller that scored Breslin from second and Castellanos from first after the ball went under the glove of leftfielder Dustin Richardson.

Castellanos made it 6-0 with his team-leading sixth homer of the year to lead off the fifth, but the Trojans responded with three in the sixth on a two-run homer by Josh Harrison and a solo shot by Graham Wooten on the next pitch.

The Crusaders fired back with two runs in the eighth, as third baseman Nick Popp led off the inning with an opposite field homer to right, his first of the year. Catcher Kyle Smith followed with a double to right center, and he moved to third on a groundout by Derek Swilley. He scored on a single to center by Patrick Atwell to increase the lead to 8-3.

In the top of the ninth, the Trojans would take the lead by scoring six runs, with five of the six coming on homers. Harrison tied the game with a three-run homer and Wooten delivered the game winner on the next pitch.

The Abbey had one last chance, as Ball walked Castellanos and hit Breslin with a pitch, but he would strike out the next three batters to preserve the win.