The 18th-ranked Belmont Abbey baseball team claimed a Conference Carolinas series win with a pair of 5-1 wins over the visiting King University Tornado this afternoon at Abbey Yard. The Crusaders won both games of today's doubleheader after dropping the series opener by a 12-6 score Sunday. Belmont Abbey moves to 11-1-1 overall and 3-1 in Conference Carolinas, while the Tornado drop to 9-6 overall and 1-2 in league play.

In game one, which was seven innings and lasted just one hour and 23 minutes, Nate Cudney stymied the King offense as he allowed just one run on two hits, fanning ten in a complete game effort.

The Crusaders gave him the only run he would need in the fourth as Ian Vazquez led off with an infield single, moved to second on a groundout by Emilio Pagan, and raced to third on a wild pitch. Anthony Dimino plated him with a long fly ball to right center that Garrett Cook flagged down, but it was deep enough to score Vazquez to put the Crusaders on top for good.

Cudney made the lead stand up as he retired the first eight batters he faced, four by strikeout. Later, he struck out five consecutive batters, the last two he faced in the fourth and the side in the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth the Crusaders gave Cudney breathing room, as the Abbey put up a five spot on four hits. Ryan Allen led off with a double and was chased home on a single by Kennan Stanley. Stanley moved to second on a Weston Clarke single and both men moved up one base on a wild pitch. Kyle Buchanan followed with a single that plated Stanley. After a walk and a double play groundout that plated Clarke, Pagan smoked a single that scored Buchanan for the game's fifth run.

King touched Cudney in the seventh for its only run. Jose Sola was hit by a pitch to start the frame, followed by a Cook single to left. Stephen Mullins lofted a long flyout to right that moved Sola to third, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Huffman.

Alex Martin took the loss after he gave up five runs on six hits in four and two-thirds innings, striking out two and walking one.

Belmont Abbey finished with six hits as six different players recorded one. Huffman and Tom Hooker had the only two King hits.

In game two, the Crusaders struck first in the bottom of the second as Gabby Amor ripped a double down the left field line, scoring Clarke, who reached on a one out walk. One inning later the advantage grew by one as Allen singled home Pagan, who reached on an infield single and stole second.

Two innings later the Abbey moved ahead 3-0 as Pagan walked, stole second, moved to third on a single by Dimino and scored on a single to left by Stanley.

In the seventh King cut the lead to 3-1 as Huffman tucked a solo homer just inside the leftfield foul pole. The Tornado threatened in the seventh, as Sola led off with a double down the rightfield line, which chased starting pitcher Parks Smithey from the game. Pagan moved to the mound from third for the three inning save, which he accomplished as he struck out five in the final three innings. He did not allow a hit and walked just one.

Belmont Abbey gained breathing room in the eighth on RBI singles from Buchanan and Clarke.

Smithey struck out eight in six plus innings, working into the seventh, fanning eight and walking two. He gave up one run-Huffman's homer-on four hits.

Reiss Stanley, the first of three King pitchers, was charged with the loss after giving up three runs on eight hits in four and one-thirds innings. He walked two and did not strike out a batter.

Allen, Clarke and Buchanan each had two hits as the Crusaders totaled 11.

Game 1 Box

Game 2 Box