BELMONT, NC- Belmont Abbey designated hitter Seth Waller doubled home Will Breslin with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth, and freshman pitcher Evan Jonas did not allow a hit or a run in the final inning and two-thirds as the Crusaders completed a sweep of Concord University with a 4-3 win this afternoon at Abbey Yard. The Crusaders increase its winning streak to four as it improves to 6-1 on the year, while the Mountain Lions fall to 0-3.

Jonas entered the game in the top of the eighth with the bases loaded and coaxed a ground ball by Brooks Cullen that was bobbled, allowing Concord to tie the game at three. Two pitches later, Jonas got out of the jam with an inning-ending double play to end the threat. He worked a perfect ninth to up his record to 1-0. Concord starter Allen Schrudell was charged with the loss. He allowed four runs, all earned, on nine hits while striking out six and walking two in seven and one-thirds innings. He threw 126 pitches.

The contest was scoreless until the fifth inning when the Mountain Lions scored two unearned runs on a throwing error by Abbey starting pitcher David Rue, but the Crusaders cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth on freshman second baseman Alex Castellano's fourth homer of the year. That was the tally until the bottom of the seventh when the Crusaders took the lead for the first time after they scored twice.

Catcher Kyle Smith ripped a two-out single to right, scoring shortstop Josh Haire, who had earlier walked. That was followed by an infield single by centerfielder Patrick Atwell, who beat out the throw after he hit a slow dribbler to second base that scored Castellanos, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

Concord tied the game in the eighth as it loaded the bases with one out, and scored on an Abbey fielding error, but Jonas ended the threat with the double play on the next at bat. The game did not stay tied for long, as the Crusaders pushed one run across in the eighth.

After a leadoff out, Breslin hit a routine fly ball to left, but leftfielder Tyler Webb lost the ball in the sun, allowing the ball to drop safely. Waller followed with a double off the top of the wall, scoring Breslin easily from first for the winning run. Jonas worked a perfect ninth to preserve the win.

The Crusaders recorded ten hits as Waller went 3-3 with two doubles. Breslin finished 2-4 with a pair of doubles, and Haire also finished with a double.