Belmont Abbey junior shortstop Carlos Vasquez broke a 4-4 tie with a two run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, and sophomore second baseman Alex Castellanos followed with a solo homer as the Crusaders won the rubber game of a three-game series against Anderson with a 7-4 win this afternoon at Abbey Yard. The Crusaders improve to 6-6 overall and 2-1 in Conference Carolinas, while the Trojans slip to 3-10 overall and 1-2 in Conference Carolinas.

Andrew Morton, the third and final pitcher of the day for the Abbey, took the win after retiring all six batters he faced in two innings. Blair Carson took the loss after allowing seven runs, five earned, on seven hits in seven and two-thirds innings.

The Crusaders jumped ahead in the bottom of the first as Tyler McKenzie ripped a one out double to center, moved to third on a Will Breslin single to left, and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Seth Waller.

The lead grew to 2-0 in the third as designated hitter Spencer Sobol led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Patrick Atwell and scored on Waller's single to left.

Anderson cut the lead to 2-1 in the fourth, and that was all of the scoring until the seventh when the Crusaders struck for a pair. Castellanos reached on an error, and moved all the way to third on a bunt single by Jay McConnell, after an Anderson throwing error. McConnell was then lifted for Derek Swilley. Third baseman Elio Rey brought home Castellanos with a sacrifice fly, and Sobol followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Swilley for a 4-1 lead.

The Trojans rallied to tie the score in the eighth by plating three runs, as Matt Hill led off with a bunt single, and Carson followed with a two run shot to pull Anderson to within one at 4-3. Clint Neville followed with a double to the gap in left center and moved to third on a flyout. He scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Ed Johnson to tie the game at four.

The Abbey answered the Trojans with three runs in its half of the eighth, all with two outs. After the first two batters were retired, Waller drew a walk, and Vasquez wrapped a 1-0 pitch just inside the leftfield foul pole for a 6-4 Crusader lead. Three pitches later, Castellanos blasted his first homer of the year, over the wall in left center for the final run of the game. Morton retired the side in order in the ninth.

Belmont Abbey finished with seven hits as seven different players recorded a hit. Anderson finished with eight hits as Neville led the way with three in four at bats.

The Abbey is back in action Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. when it hosts Lenoir-Rhyne.