The Belmont Abbey baseball team split a doubleheader with the visiting Mount Olive Trojans this afternoon at Abbey Yard, falling 7-6 in the opener, then winning the series with a 6-4 win in the nightcap. Belmont Abbey improves to 20-16 overall and 11-5 in Conference Carolinas, while Mount Olive moves to 20-16 overall and 6-6 in Conference Carolinas.

In the opener, Mount Olive jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the second as it loaded the bases and scored on a groundout by Joseph Westbrook that plated Rich Racobaldo, who led off the frame with a single up the middle.

The Trojans held onto their lead until the bottom of the fourth when the Abbey surged ahead with a pair of runs, both coming on sacrifice fly balls by Danny Brion and Carlos Vasquez.

Two innings later, Mount Olive reclaimed the lead for good as it scored six times, sending 11 men to the plate. After a run scoring single by Westbrook tied the game at two, Dylan Holton gave the Trojans the lead with a two run double to right.

Trailing 7-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh and final inning, the Abbey mounted a charge by scoring four runs and bringing the winning run to the plate. Josh Frazier led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by Roland Rodriguez. After a walk to Patrick Atwell that loaded the bases, Tyler McKenzie followed with a walk to bring home Frazier to cut the lead to 7-3 and force a pitching change, bringing in Kyle Jones.

The first batter Jones faced was Daniel Kassouf, who carved a single to right center, scoring Atwell and Rodriguez to bring the Abbey to within two at 7-5. Justin Vasquez pulled the Crusaders within one with a sacrifice fly to left for the first out, but Jones ended the game on consecutive strikeouts to earn the save.

Paul Novicki earned the win after allowing four runs on five hits in three innings of relief, striking out four and walking two. Jones earned the save after recording the final three outs. Michael Maples was charged with the loss after giving up six runs, five earned, in two-thirds of an inning.

In the nightcap, the game's first three runs came via the long ball as the Abbey jumped ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first on a two run homer by Kassouf. Mount Olive got one right back in the third as Racobaldo led off the second with a homer to dead center.

The Trojans added another in the third to knot the game at two, but the Crusaders responded by scoring three unanswered runs, scoring once in the third, fourth and fifth innings to claim a 5-2 lead.

Mount Olive countered with two in the top of the sixth to inch within one of the Abbey lead at 5-4, but the Crusaders scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after the first two batters of the inning were retired. Danny Brion was hit by a pitch, then was replaced by Vinny Santoemma. Spencer Sobol followed with a double to left center, moving Santoemma to third. Carlos Vasquez brought home Santoemma with a single to left to extend the Abbey advantage to 6-4. Jordan Cudney held the Trojans scoreless in the top of the seventh to earn the save.

Andrew Morton earned the win after allowing four runs, three earned, in six innings. He fanned two and walked one. Patrick Ball took the loss. He gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits in three and one-thirds innings.