BELMONT, N.C. – Ben Ferguson hit his team-best sixth home run of the season and Connor Powell drove in three runs as the Belmont Abbey baseball team defeated Francis Marion 8-6 Friday evening at Abbey Yard.
 
Friday's contest was the first of a key three-game Conference Carolinas series between the two teams.
 
The Crusaders earned their 20th victory of the season and are now 20-9 on the season. The Patriots are 13-18 overall and both teams have identical 7-9 records in the league standings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crusaders held the Patriots to one run in the first inning thanks in large part to a defensive relay to get a runner out at home trying to score.
• Patrick Fink made his first career start as the designated hitter for Belmont Abbey.
• An infield hit by Powell drove in the first run of the game for the Crusaders in the second inning.
• Ben Ferguson put the Crusaders ahead with a two-run home run in the third inning.
• The Patriots regained the lead in the fourth but Myles Hedgecock entered the game in relief and turned a double play to keep the game within 4-3.
• Ferguson hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to tie the game while Belmont Abbey scored the next two runs after capitalizing on a Francis Marion throwing error.
• The Patriots got within a run at 6-5 in the seventh but Connor Powell's two-run double in the seventh with two outs gave Belmont Abbey a pair of insurance runs.
• Jake Craddock allowed just one run over the final two innings to earn his second save of the season.
• Hedgecock got the win for The Abbey pitching 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.

 
UP NEXT

• The Crusaders conclude the series with the Patriots with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at Abbey Yard.