University of Mount Olive fell to No. 4 Franklin Pierce 7-3 Monday night in non-conference baseball at Scarborough Field in Mount Olive, N.C. Alvin Swoop led the Trojans with an inside the park home run in the fifth.
Mount Olive (9-10) kept Franklin Pierce (13-1) off the scoreboard for the first two innings, however the Falcons struck first in the third.
Christopher Stanford led off the inning with a bunt single and Justin Brock doubled down the left field line to put two runners in scoring position. Maxx Sheehan singled home the game's first run with an RBI single up the middle. The hits continued to come as Franklin Pierce plated five runs off five hits in the inning.
The Trojans plated their first run off a Derek Deler double to left center that brought in Brett Lang who led off the fourth with a double down the left field line.
Franklin Pierce added another run to the cushion off a sacrifice fly in the fifth and led 6-1.
Mount Olive fought back with a spark in the bottom half. Duke Hill dropped a base hit in straight away centerfield to lead off the inning. Swoop came up and delivered the second RBI of the night for the Trojans. The Mount Olive shortstop hit a long fly ball that began to tail towards the line in right field. The Franklin Pierce right fielder dove, but just missed the catch and the ball rolled into the corner.
Swoop sped his way around the bases and came in safely at the plate before the throw came in from the outfield and Mount Olive trailed 6-3.
The Ravens added the final run of the game in the top half of the sixth off a RBI-double from Sheehan as Mount Olive was unable to strike for a comeback.
Ethan Horne (0-1) picked up the loss on the hill for Mount Olive as allowed five runs off four hits in his two innings of work. Jesse Schullstrom, in first appearance since having to having Tommy John surgery last season, pitched three and two thirds innings and allowed two runs off three hits and struck out a pair.
Gage Griffin (2-0) got the win for Franklin Pierce as he went eight complete surrendering three runs off six hits and struck out four.
Mount Olive and Franklin Pierce will square off again tomorrow in the short series finale at 6 p.m. from Scarborough Field.