Belmont Abbey scored nine times in the second inning after allowing two runs in the first and second innings as the Crusaders outslugged visiting Catawba 15-10 this afternoon at Abbey Yard. The Abbey, winners of three-straight, improve to 8-6 while the Indians fall to 9-4.

The two teams combined for seven home runs as wind gusts of up to 25 miles per hour were blowing straight out of the balllpark. Nine of the Abbey's 14 hits went for extra bases as the Crusaders finished with four doubles and five home runs, two each by Alex Castellanos and Seth Waller and the other by Carlos Vasquez.

Trey Summerlin earned the win as he allowed four runs on four hits in three innings. Will Hunneycut took the loss after allowing six runs on five hits in an inning. Andrew Morton earned his third save after retiring all nine batters he faced in three innings. He struck out three.

Catawba struck for a pair in the top of the first and two more in the second to claim an early 4-0 lead, but the Abbey exploded for nine runs in the second to gain a lead it would never lose. The Crusaders sent 13 men to the plate as they scored nine runs on eight hits. Waller led off with a solo homer and Vasquez also homered, a three-run shot to highlight the frame.

The Indians scored two more in the third and two more in the fourth to cut the lead to 9-8, but the Abbey gained some breathing room by scoring one in the fourth on a Castellanos solo homer, and another in the fifth on a Catawba fielding error.

Catawba responded with two in the sixth to pull within one at 11-10, but the Abbey scored four times in the seventh, all with two outs, using two-run homers by Waller and Castellanos to close the scoring.

Castellanos finished 4-5 with three runs batted in and three runs scored, while Vasquez had three hits with three runs batted in and three runs scored.

The Abbey is back in action Saturday when it goes on the road to face Barton in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader.