CENTRAL, S.C. – Southern Wesleyan baseball was unable to upset No. 12 Mount Olive in the opener of a three-game Conference Carolinas series on Friday, falling 11-5. The series wraps up on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.

The Warriors took an early lead in the first off of Gunnar Kines as Josh Shimp knocked in Jason Moldenhauer with a single to right. Moldenhauer was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch.

After Shimp's hit, Kines retired five straight before John Garrett singled to lead off the third. Moldenhauer followed two batters later with a single of his own to put runners on first and second but Kines got the next two to end the threat.

Again in the fourth Kines worked out of a jam as Julio Lara and Johnny Ponder each singled to start the frame. After a fly out from Matt Costa, Kines retired Daniel Coleman and John Garrett on strikeouts. Kines finished the game with 11 strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work.

The Trojans tied the game with a run in the second as Stephen Wallace knocked in a run as UMO picked up three singles in the inning. In the third the Trojans added four runs as the Warriors committed two errors leading to all runs being unearned.

Mount Olive added runs in the fourth and fifth, knocking out Matt Buss with two away in the fifth. Drew Carson came in in relief of Buss and allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings of work. He walked two and didn't give up a run. Buss pitched 4.2 innings and allowed nine hits and seven runs, only four earned.

The Warriors pulled to 9-5 in the eighth as Mark Harris allowed singles to Shimp and Daniel Williams before walking Pete Mastin to load the bases. Johnny Ponder followed with a grand slam to right as Harris was lifted for Brighton Hudson. Hudson retired the next three in order and allowed just one runner on base – via an error – in his two innings of work.

Shimp finished the day with three hits in five at-bats. He also scored a run and knocked in a run. Ponder had two hits in four at-bats and drove in four.

Kines picked up the win to improve to 3-0 while Buss took the loss and falls to 0-2.