Baseball Defeats Pfeiffer 8-6 In 10 Innings

Matt Parish Earned His Second Win Of The Year

The Belmont Abbey baseball team broke a 6-6 tie with two runs in the top of the tenth inning and held off a late Pfeiffer charge in the bottom of the frame to claim an 8-6 non-conference win this afternoon in Salisbury, North Carolina. The win improves the Abbey record to 3-0 on the season.

The Crusaders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Gabby Amor and Justin Vasquez each drew walks, followed by Emilio Pagan reaching on a fielding error to set up Kyle Buchanan’s sacrifice fly to score Amor. Pfeiffer answered in the bottom half of the first with three runs of its own as Cody Stull walked Johnny Brown, Jr. with the bases loaded to force in the Falcons first run. Following a Cole McGraw strikeout, Dalton Lindley double to left field to score two more and give Pfeiffer a 3-1 advantage.

The Abbey wasted no time jumping back in front as they pushed three across the plate in the top of the second. With one out, Joey Frabasile worked a walk and Michael Vargas was hit with a pitch to put runners on first and second. Ian Vazquez reached on a fielder’s choice to the pitcher to load the bases. Amor grounded out to third base to bring in a run and Vasquez singled to center to bring in two more runs and give the Crusaders a 4-3 lead. Pfeiffer reclaimed a 6-4 lead in the bottom half of the inning with three runs as Brown, Jr. doubled to center field to score Preston Lyon, Jacob Yates, and Kevin Price.

Each team was scoreless for the next three frames before the Crusaders scored two unearned runs to tie the score at six in the sixth. Stephen Mullis walked and advanced to second on a balk. Frabasile walked to put runners on first and second. A groundout by Vargas advanced the runners to second and third. Mullis scored on a wild pitch by Craig Bolton with Frabasile advancing to third. Frabasile scored the second run of the inning on a throwing error by shortstop Kyle Hackney that allowed Ian Vazquez to reach base. After holding Pfeiffer scoreless in the bottom half of the sixth, the Abbey loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but failed to capitalize.

The Crusaders again threatened in the top of the eight with runners on second and third with two outs, but failed to take advantage. Pfeiffer put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but two pop ups on the infield kept the tie intact. The Crusaders were retired in order in the top of the ninth, and Pfeiffer left runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. 

The Abbey struck for two runs in the top of the tenth. Vargas doubled with one out and was chased home by a Vazquez single. After Vazquez stole second, Amor was hit with a pitch to put runners on first and second. Pagan followed with a double to score Vazquez, but Amor was thrown out attempting to score to end the inning with the Crusaders taking an 8-6 lead. Pfeiffer put runners on first and second with two out in the bottom of the tenth, but Pagan struck out Jon Gray to seal the win for the Abbey and record the save.

Vasquez went 1-4 on the day with two RBIs. Vazquez went 1-5 with an RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored.  Amor went 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Abbey’s relievers combined for eight and a third scoreless innings. Paul Stelling pitched four innings in relief without allowing a hit or a run while recording two strikeouts.  Matt Parish took the win recording three strikeouts in three and a third shutout innings. He is now 2-0. Pagan earned his second save in three games.