University of Mount Olive fell to Belmont Abbey 6-5 in the opening round of the Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament Thursday morning in Burlington, N.C.
Mount Olive (30-19) battled back in the bottom of the seventh inning, down 6-1. Kristin Power singled through the left side to grab a lead-off base hit for the Trojans. Callie Ferrell continued with a single into left and Power moved to second. A ground out by Cailtin Ewers moved the runners to second and third. Brooke Kamphuis grounded out to first, but was able to score Power from third.
Kelsey Akers deposited an RBI-single into center to score Ferrel from third and Mount Olive trailed 6-3. Savannah Becker drew the second walk of the inning and set up Kayla Allen. Allen drew the Trojans to within one as she tripled to left center and Akers and Becker scored to make it a 6-5 game with two away. Mount Olive, however, could not complete the comeback as the final out of the game was recorded on a lineout.
Belmont Abbey (20-27) started off the game with the lead as back-to-back RBI-singles by Anna Mixa and Lauren Clifford and the Crusaders took a 2-0 lead.
Mount Olive, Becker drew a one out walk in the bottom of the first. Following a pop out, Anna Ingram found a hole in left center for a RBI-double and Becker came around from first to give Mount Olive a run.
The Crusaders had a four run seventh inning to push out to a 6-1 lead, but Mount Olive tried to rally back in the bottom half. The comeback fell short as the Trojans managed to push only four runs home and dropped the game 6-5.
Mount Olive will try to escape elimination Friday, April 29 at 12 p.m. against the loser of No.1 seed Limestone College/No. 8 Barton College matchup from Burlington, N.C.