The Belmont Abbey baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to shrink an 11-3 deficit down to just four runs, but the 23rd-ranked Francis Marion Patriots had just enough to thwart the rally and earn an 11-7 win this afternoon at Abbey Yard in the second meeting between the two teams this season. The win improves the Patriots record to 22-11, while the Abbey drops to 23-13.

Francis Marion rapped out 14 hits as it scored the first run in the top of the first as Buddy Sonoskie singled home Tyler Boyd, who was hit by a pitch. The Patriots added another in the third as Sonoskie struck again, singling home catcher Brian Paulhus.

After Francis Marion scored two more in the top of the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead, the Crusaders got on the board in the bottom of the inning as Justin Vasquez doubled down the leftfield line and scored on Kyle Buchanan's single to left.

Two innings later, the Abbey struck for two more to close the Patriots lead to 4-3 on one swing of the bat. Gabby Amor ripped a one out double and scored on Vasquez's two run shot to dead center, closing the Francis Marion lead to just one.

The game did not stay tied for long as the Patriots fired right back with seven runs in the top of the seventh to open up an 11-4 lead. The Patriots clubbed a pair of homers in the assault, getting a three-run homer by Austin Smetana and later, a two run blast by leadoff man Jarrod Reed.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the ninth when the Abbey made things interesting. After a pinch hit flyout by Adam Venditti, Matt Mazzolla blasted a solo homer to dead center to cut the lead to 11-5. John Cucchiarella followed with a single to right, followed by a walk to Michael Vargas. Amor inched the Abbey to 11-7 with his third homer of the year, a three-run shot to left. After a pitching change, a strikeout and a groundout ended the game.

Francis Marion starting pitcher Gary Ashcraft earned the win as he went five and one-thirds innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out five. He did not walk a batter. Belmont Abbey starter Paul Stelling was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits in three and two-thirds innings of work.

Smetana led the Patriots with three hits in four at bats, driving in three. Reed, Sonoskie, Paulhus, Tyler Hibbs and Michael Wilson all had two hits. Reed drove in four runs.

Cucchiarella paced the Abbey offense with three hits as the Crusaders finished with 12. Amor drove in three runs on two hits, while Vasquez was two for four with two RBI. He had a double and a home run. Buchanan also had two hits.