GASTONIA, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey baseball team combined to hit four home runs and Jason White put together a strong first start of the season to help the Crusaders defeat Shippensburg 6-2 in the series opener Friday at CaroMont Health Park.
 
The game was moved from Abbey Yard due to weather and field conditions.
 
The Crusaders moved to 2-0 on the season while Shippensburg is 0-1.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• White got off to a good start by allowing just one run in the first three innings of work against the Raiders.
• The Crusaders broke the stalemate in the bottom of the fourth inning with Connor Tucker's leadoff home run.
• After Shippensburg pulled even in the top of the fifth inning, the Crusaders recaptured the lead at 2-1 in the bottom half of the frame with Ben Ferguson's leadoff home run.  
• White pitched a scoreless sixth inning to complete his first start of the season. He finished the night by allowing just one run on two hits while striking out eight.  
• Reed Marcum, Trey Cruz and Avery Short all came in relief to pitch a combined scoreless seventh and eighth inning.
• The Crusaders broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth inning with four runs in the frame.
• The scoring started with a sacrifice fly by Sean Johnson followed by a home run to left field by Ben Gobbel. Zach Aehlert capped the scoring for The Abbey with a two-run home run.
• Short secured the final five outs of the game to earn the save for the Crusaders.

 
UP NEXT
Belmont Abbey concludes their series against Shippensburg with a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday back at Abbey Yard.