Kilgore Gailmard's two-run homer gave nationally second-ranked University of Mount Olive its first lead of the game, but Barton College rallied to hand the Trojans a 5-3 loss in Conference Carolinas baseball Friday at Scarborough Field. The loss was Mount Olive's first this season in conference play and the Trojans' first loss to the Bulldogs since 2009.
Mount Olive (17-5 overall, 8-1 Conference Carolinas) spotted Barton a 2-0 lead before Brett Lang's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth put the Trojans on the scoreboard. DeAndre Allen reached on a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the fifth and Gailmard followed one out later with a home run to center to give the Trojans a 3-2 lead.
Barton (10-11, 4-5) came back in the top of the seventh with a pair of two-out runs. Spiers Miller doubled in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run on Avery Harper's rbi-double to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead. Jacob Willis singled home an insurance run in the eighth. Barton had a chance to add to its lead in the ninth, but left the bases loaded.
A pair of walks put the winning run at the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Barton pitcher Zach Breen (3-1) struck out the final two batters to earn the complete game win. Breen finished with seven strikeouts.
Trojan pitcher Gunnar Kines (4-1) went 6 2/3 innings and suffered his first loss of the season.
Barton scored the first run of the game on Andrew Webster's leadoff home run in the top of the second. The Bulldogs added an unearned run in the fourth.
Mount Olive's last loss to Barton came February 14, 2009. The Trojans had won 19 in a row over the Bulldogs until Friday.
The two teams resume their three-game series Sunday with a doubleheader at Scarborough Field. The twinbill was originally scheduled for Saturday, but pushed back a day due to a forecast of rain. First pitch Sunday is 1 p.m.