MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The Barton College baseball team (6-9, 5-5) fell to Mount Olive (12-4, 9-3) by a 13-8 score Sunday afternoon in a Conference Carolinas game and the finale of a four-game weekend series at Scarborough Field. The Trojans are ranked No. 2 in the nation by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
The Trojans hit five home runs on the day and were able to rally from a 4-0 deficit after a half-inning of play to salvage the four-contest split.
Three round-trippers for the Trojans came in the sixth frame courtesy of Vito Patierno (Raleigh, N.C.), Zach Smith (Goldsboro, N.C.) and Jack Casbarro (Mount Olive, N.C.). Patierno finished with four hits to lead the Trojans 18-hit attack on the afternoon.
Barton was led by senior outfielder
Colby Warren (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) with three hits and four runs batted in while senior catcher
Brayden Olson (Spokane, N.C.) added three hits and two runs scored in the setback.
On the mound, the Trojans' Blake Gipson (Pikeville, N.C.) (1-1) pitched four innings of scoreless relief to earn the win while freshman
Michael Yuille (Boyds, Md.) fell to 1-1 after taking the loss. One of the highlights of the four-game series for the Bulldogs was a one-hitter Barton pitched in a 6-1 victory over Mount Olive in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday.
Barton next hosts King (Tenn.) in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader on Saturday beginning at Noon while Mount Olive hosts league-power North Greenville next Friday in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.
