The Belmont Abbey baseball team opened the season with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Mars Hill College, taking the opener 9-7 on a two-out, two run walk off home run by Jay McConnell, and wining the nightcap 8-2 at Abbey Yard. It was the season openers for both teams.

In game one, the Abbey trailed 7-1 after five innings but scored eight unanswered, including three in the bottom of the ninth after entering the frame down 7-6. Andrew Morton earned the win after working five and one-thirds scoreless innings, scattering four hits, striking out four and walking none. Mars Hill reliever Charlie Harrison, the fourth and final pitcher of the day, took the loss after allowing three runs in the bottom of the ninth in just two thirds of an inning.

Down 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Crusaders scored twice and added three more in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to one. After a scoreless bottom of the eighth, the Abbey scored three times to take its first lead of the contest. After a one out single by Will Breslin, Alex Castellanos singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. After a Harrison balk moved both men up one base, Seth Waller lifted a fly ball to center, deep enough to score Derek Swilley, who came in to pinch run for Breslin. With Castellanos on second and two outs, McConnell ripped a one-one pitch over the centerfield wall for the winning runs.

In the seven inning nightcap, the Abbey allowed a first inning run and answered with one in the second and four more in the third to take control of the game. In that four run third, Breslin and Castellanos ripped back-to-back doubles, with Breslin's scoring Tyler McKenzie from first and Castellanos's scoring Breslin. Castellanos later scored on a Seth Waller single.

Breslin homered in the fifth to widen the lead to 6-1, and after a Mars Hill run in the fifth, the Crusaders responded with two in their half of the frame to provide the winning margin of 8-2.

Belmont Abbey starting pitcher Michael Raymond, in his first action since the 2006 season, earned the win after giving up two runs on two hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked a pair. John Merritt worked the final two innings, holding the Lions to just one hit. He struck out three and walked one. Brendan Van Popering was charged with the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits in four innings of work. He fanned five and issued one walk.

The two teams will meet tomorrow in another doubleheader, with both games scheduled for seven innings. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.

Game Two Box