The Belmont Abbey baseball team broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning by blasting three consecutive home runs, as Danny Brion, Justin Baxley and Daniel Torrente each slugged solo shots as the Crusaders earned a 7-4 win over the visiting Mars Hill Lions this afternoon at Abbey Yard. The Crusaders improve to 4-5, while the Lions drop to 2-2.

Belmont Abbey reliever Evan Jonas, the second of four Abbey hurlers, earned the win after giving up two runs on five hits and striking out three in two innings. Greg Smith was saddled with the loss. He allowed all three seventh inning homers on four hits in an inning and a third. Drew Hardee picked up the save after retiring the Lions in order in the ninth inning.

Mars Hill jumped ahead in the first as Adam Lewis blasted an opposite field homer down the leftfield line that also brought home Rusty Smith, who singled earlier.

The Abbey climbed out of the 2-0 hole in its half of the inning, plating two runs on singles by Chris Vazquez and Baxley. The Crusaders took their first lead one inning later as Matt Mazzolla led off with a single, moved to second on a walk and to third on a single by Roland Rodriguez. He scored on a double play groundout by Caleb Shore. Roberto Sanchez, who drew a walk after Mazzolla's single, scored on a wild pitch to move the lead to 4-2.

Mars Hill chopped the lead down to one in the sixth as Michael Bueker split the gap in right center for a double that brought home Brandon Savoca. One inning later, the Lions knotted the game at four as Savoca doubled home Smith, but the Abbey blasted three homers in its half of the inning, and Mars Hill never threatened again as it went down in order in the eighth and ninth innings.

Belmont Abbey rapped out 11 hits as Baxley finished three for three with two RBI and a run scored. Rodriguez, Brion and Mazzolla each had a pair of hits.

Smith, Devin Presnell and Patrick Davidson each led Mars Hill with two hits as the Lions totaled 11 for the game.