The Belmont Abbey baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader at King this afternoon, dropping the opener 8-6 and falling 2-0 in the nightcap. King improves to 27-16 overall and 16-10 in Conference Carolinas, while the Abbey falls to 29-19 overall and 17-9 in Conference Carolinas.

Tomorrow's single game begins at noon, with the Conference Carolinas Western Division title and the second seed in next week's Conference Carolinas Tournament on the line. If the Abbey wins, it clinches the title outright. If King wins, the two schools will be co-champions but the Tornado will win the tiebreaker based on the series win.

In the opener, King bolted out to a 5-0 lead after four before the Crusaders fired back with three in the fifth and two more in the sixth. In the fifth, the Abbey scored three times on three hits, as John Cucchiarella led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch. After a walk to Joey Frabasile, Emilio Pagan singled home Kyle Buchanan, who reached on a walk earlier. Jon Pilla capped the scoring with a long fly ball to right, deep enough to plate Justin Vasquez.

King responded with a run in the bottom of the inning but the Crusaders scored two more in the sixth to trim the deficit to 6-5. Cucchiarella tripled to centerfield, allowing Ian Vazquez, who opened the inning reaching on an error, to score. Cucchiarella later scored on a Tornado throwing error for the second unearned run of the inning to close the King lead to 6-5.

The Tornado used a leadoff homer in the sixth to extend their lead to 7-5, and they added another in the following inning on a bases loaded walk to move the edge to 8-5.

Vasquez blasted a two out homer in the eighth to cut the deficit to 8-6, but that would be all of the scoring as King picked up the win.

Reiss Stanley was credited with the win after allowing three runs on six hits in five innings. Gabe Wallmeyer was charged with the loss. He gave up seven runs, three earned, on ten hits in five and two-thirds innings. He fanned five. Wesley Houser earned the save, working the final three innings, allowing a run on two hits.

In the seven inning nightcap, King touched Abbey starter Steven Thiele for single runs in the first and third innings, and King starter Cory Rhodes made it stand up as he gave up just one hit in a complete-game effort, fanning five and walking four.

The Crusaders had its best chance to score in the top of the seventh, as they put two runners on with two outs, but a strikeout ended the game. Stephen Mullis had the only hit for the Abbey, a single with one out in the fifth that broke up the no-hitter. Thiele struck out six and allowed two runs, only one earned, on six hits in six innings.

Game One Box

Game Two Box