BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey baseball team reached double digits in hits for the second time in three games and the offensive burst was enough to lift the Crusaders past Queens for a 10-8 victory in Tuesday's midweek contest at Abbey Yard.
Ben Ferguson was one of three Crusaders to earn two hits on the day, including his team-leading eighth home run of the season while Belmont native
Jackson Risk made the most of his first career start with a three-run home run of his own in the win.
Jake Craddock and
Jason White also earned firsts of their own this season for The Abbey by earning the win and save, respectively.
The Crusaders moved to 16-8 overall on the season with the win while Queens is now 13-11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Kale Rhame drove in the first run of the game Belmont Abbey with an RBI single to bring in Sean Johnson, who led the game off with a walk. Rhame had two hits on the day.
- After the Royals took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, the Crusaders quickly took the lead back thanks to a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2.
- Queens tied the game in the fifth inning but The Abbey recaptured the lead again in the bottom of the same thanks to Ferguson's RBI double down the right field line to drive in Adam Overcash. Overcash had led off with a double of his own in the last at-bat.
- The breakthrough inning for Belmont Abbey came in the sixth when the Crusaders scored four runs, all of which came with two outs.
- An RBI single by Overcash drove in Patrick Taylor and was one of three straight singles.
- Ferguson then cleared the bases with a three-run home run to make it 9-4 in favor of The Abbey.
- Queens rallied to within one run in the seventh inning but Avery Short struck out three straight batters to end the rally.
- An RBI double from Matty Bapst in the bottom of the seventh made it 10-8 in favor of the Crusaders.
- Ryan Giberson pitched a perfect eighth inning and Jason White came through with a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.
UP NEXT
- The Crusaders resume Conference Carolinas play with a three-game series against Barton beginning at 5 p.m. Friday at Abbey Yard.
- The next seven contests for The Abbey will be at home.