The Belmont Abbey baseball team fell for the first time in 2013 at home to the King College Tornado by a 12-6 score on Sunday afternoon. Garrett Cook went 5 for 6 with three homers, five runs driven home, and four scored to improve the Tornado record to 9-4, 1-0 in Conference Carolinas.

Cody Stull started the game looking to replicate his initial outing of 2013. However, Stull was never able to settle into the groove that earned his first win of 2013. With pitches elevated in the zone, and having less than stellar command of all three pitches, Stull finished with three and two-thirds innings pitched giving up seven runs on nine hits. In contrast, Stull pitched six innings on Opening Day, striking out twelve, surrendering just three hits.

Offensively, the Abbey was not able to put together the really big innings, which have become a hallmark of the early portions of 2013. Three players collected multi-hit games, but neither Ian Vazquez, Emilio Pagan nor Kennan Stanley were able to do so in the same frame. In the bottom of the fourth, Belmont Abbey plated two runs on a single from Michael Falsetti to trim the King lead to 7-5. Wes Houser wiggled out of the jam in the fourth with a 5-4-3 twin killing, and a bouncer back to the box to end the rally.

With Houser managing the game from the mound, the Tornado hitters repeatedly launced ball into the gaps and over the Abbey Yard wall. Of King's 15 hits, nine went for extra bases. Cook tallied 15 total bases on the day, a high watermark for any Abbey opponent this season.

The Crusaders and the Tornado get little rest, as they conclude the series tomorrow morning at 11am for the first of two games slated for the day. The early start should offer enough time to get both games in, as rain appears imminent for the late afternoon, early evening timeframe.

Nate Cudney is the projected starter in game two of the series, as he will face Corey Rhodes. The Abbey Sports Network will air the doubleheader on WGNC 1450am and www.wgnc.net beginning at 10:45am(EST), 7:45am(PST). Be sure to follow the Crusaders on www.abbeyathletics.com, and on twitter: @abbeyathletics