Box Score WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – on the day Belmont Abbey baseball was ranked second in the nation, the Crusaders posted an 11-3 victory over Winston-Salem State for their 28th win of the season. The win was The Abbey's 10th consecutive win, the second 10-game win streak this season. Belmont Abbey (28-5) was voted No. 2 in the country by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) as well as first in the southeast region.
The Crusaders recorded 11 hits in the contest, led by Luke Cureton, Jakob Rolly, and Josh Genthe, who all tallied two hits. Cureton led the way with three runs scored as Rolly, Genthe, and Colin Rosenbaum each drove in a pair.
Belmont Abbey got on the board first in the second as Kevin Elefante lofted a sac fly that scored Cureton. Winston-Salem (17-12) responded in the fourth as Luke Spiva recorded an RBI single that tied the game. The Crusaders retook the lead in the fifth when Elefante scored on a wild pitch. The Rams tied the game in the sixth on an RBI single from Wellington Guzman.
The Abbey busted the game open in the seventh as they plated five runs on three hits. Rosenbaum doubled in two runs followed by Genthe's RBI single. The Crusaders were able to push a few more runs across on wild pitches pushing their lead to 7-2.
Belmont Abbey added four more runs in the ninth after Yoder blasted an RBI tripled to center-field and Genthe roped an RBI single through the right-side. Rolly crushed a two-run home run, his seventh of the year, to give the Crusaders the 11-2 advantage.
The Rams were able to score in the bottom of the ninth with another RBI single but were not able to close the gap as Belmont Abbey took the 11-3 win.
Griffin Baker started on the hill for the Crusaders tossing 5.0 innings allowing one run on three hits, three walks with six strikeouts. Travis Block collected the win, his first of the year, in his two innings of relief. Jalen Scott of Winston-Salem State took the loss.
Belmont Abbey will play at Carson-Newman April 3 before coming home to play Lee April 4.
