WILSON, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey baseball team wrapped up a three-game Conference Carolinas series at Barton Saturday at Nixon Field.
The Crusaders and Bulldogs were locked in a tight battle in the opener but fell 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning. That was followed by a 9-2 win for Barton in the series finale.
Belmont Abbey is now 15-8 overall, 4-8 in Conference Carolinas. Barton is 11-9 overall, 7-5 in the league.
GAME 1
- Connor Tucker led the way with two hits offensively for the Crusaders in the opener.
- Barton got on the board with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
- The Crusaders pulled even in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly from Todd Velotta.
- The Bulldogs came away with the win in the bottom of the seventh inning on a squeeze play.
- Alex Sniffen struck out eight in 6.1 innings.
GAME 2
- Belmont Abbey fell behind early in the first two innings but answered with a pair of runs in the third innings.
- The first run came on an RBI single by Ben Ferguson to score Velotta while Patrick Taylor later scored on a throwing error by the Bulldogs.
- Ferguson and Velotta accounted for all four hits in the contest.
- The Bulldogs pulled away with two runs in the bottom of the third inning and four in the bottom of the fifth inning.
- The Crusaders pitching staff accounted for 12 strikeouts in the second game.
UP NEXT
- The Crusaders close out the road trip with a mid-week contest at Mars Hill at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
- Belmont Abbey resumes Conference Carolinas play with a home series against Mount Olive beginning at 5 p.m. March 17 at Abbey Yard.