BELMONT, NC-The Belmont Abbey baseball team had its seven game winning streak snapped this afternoon as it fell to visiting Catawba 12-6 at Abbey Yard. The Indians improve to 25-12, while the Crusaders slip to 25-13.

Catawba starter Paul Link earned the win as he allowed four runs on five hits in five innings of work. He carried a one-hitter into the fifth before he was lifted for Blake Ketner. He struck out one and walked four. Michael Rue was charged with the loss. He allowed ten runs, eight earned, on seven hits in two and two-thirds innings of work. He struck out one and walked three.

The Indians never trailed it the game as it scored three times in the second and blew the game open in the third, scoring eight runs as they sent 14 men to the plate. They would add one more in the sixth on a leadoff homer by first baseman Zach Evans to widen the lead to 12-0.

Belmont Abbey got on the board in its half of the sixth, scoring five runs on six hits. Back-to-back doubles by Will Breslin and Seth Waller produced the first run. Second baseman Alex Castellanos brought Waller home with a single for the second Abbey run. Josh Haire followed with a single, moving Castellanos to third.

After a pitching change, Ketner retired the next two batters on a strikeout and a groundout, but surrendered a single to Patrick Atwell that plated Castellanos for the third run. Atwell moved to second on the play, and Tyler McKenzie drove him and Haire in with a single back up the box to cut the lead to 12-5. The Crusaders added one more in the ninth on an RBI single to left by Haire, scoring Alex Udwari, who led off the inning with a double down the rightfield line.

The Abbey finished with 11 hits as Castellanos led the way with three hits, all singles, as he raised his season average to .483. Atwell and Haire both finished with a pair of hits. Evans led Catawba with three hits in four at bats as the Indians recorded 11 on the afternoon.