The Belmont Abbey baseball team scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie as the Crusaders avoided a sweep with a 7-3 win over the fourth-ranked Mount Oliv Trojans in the finale of a three-game Conference Carolinas baseball series Sunday at Scarborough Field. The Abbey improves to 14-17 overall and 11-9 in Conference Carolinas, while Mount Olive moves to 29-5 overall and 14-4 in Conference Carolinas.

Mount Olive had a chance to break the game open in the bottom of the first as the Trojans loaded the bases with nobody out. A bases loaded walk pushed the first run across, but the Crusaders avoided major damage with an RBI groundout and an inning-ending double play

Belmont Abbey used Spencer Sobol's leadoff double and a pair of ground outs to score a run in the top of the second, then took its first lead with a pair of unearned runs in the fourth. The Crusaders sandwiched Josh Frazier's leadoff double and Sobol's single around a Trojan error to load the bases with nobody out. After a 6-4-3 double play brought in a run, Daniel Torrente's RBI-single put the Crusaders on top 3-2.

Mount Olive tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on Tyler Smith's RBI-double after Joseph Westbrook drew a leadoff walk. Smith's double was the only hit allowed by Steven Thiele (2-1) in 4 1/3 innings of relief.

Trojan starter Jackson Massey (3-1) retired the side in order in the third and fifth innings, and retired the first two batters of the sixth inning before Sobol's single ignited a string of six consecutive baserunners. After Tim Dye reached on an error, Belmont Abbey went ahead to stay when Sobol scored on a single by Torrente, his third rbi of the game. Chris Vazquez doubled home two runs and Matt Mazzola capped the scoring with an RBI-single.

Six of the seven runs allowed by Massey were unearned. Massey struck out three and walked one in six innings. Jordan Cudney pitched two perfect innings for Belmont Abbey to seal the win.