BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey baseball team returned from Easter break with one of its strongest offensive performances of the season in a 20-3 victory over USC Aiken Tuesday at Abbey Yard.

The Crusaders scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back as the team reached the 20-run mark for the third time in the last two season. The team reached that mark in two games last season: a 23-2 win over Rockhurst on Feb. 11 and a 21-5 win over Barton March 19.

Both USC Aiken and Belmont Abbey came into Tuesday's game regionally ranked in the NCBWA Southeast Region rankings, checking in at No. 7 and No. 10, respectively.

Belmont Abbey improves to 27-11 overall and is now 17-0 in nonconference play this season. USC Aiken is now 25-13.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Grant Lohmeier helped provide the cushion needed for the Crusaders, allowing just one hit in five scoreless innings while recording a pair of strikeouts.
• The Crusaders have a run of five straight hits in the first inning highlighted by a three-run home run by Connor Tucker.
• Belmont Abbey added three more runs in the third inning with Tucker scoring on a wild pitch with runs batted in by Connor Powell and Patrick Taylor.
• Browder kept the scoring barrage going with a two-run home run in the fourth.
• Carter DuHaime and Joey Humphrey had consecutive RBI singles in the fifth to extend the Abbey lead to 14-0. Humphrey later scored on a wild pitch.
• DuHaime added an RBI single in the sixth while Garrett Browder later scored on a wild pitch.
• The Pacers' lone runs of the game came in the sixth inning.
• Belmont Abbey capped the scoring with three runs in the seventh starting with Todd Velotta getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Velotta and DuHaime had three hits each for the Crusaders.
• Josh Mruk and Layton Dickerson combined to pitch a scoreless final three innings for Belmont Abbey.
• The Crusaders drew 11 walks on the night, the third time that Belmont Abbey has earned double-digit free passes this season.
• Belmont Abbey was also hit by a pitch four times in the game. The Crusaders entered Tuesday's matchup in second in all of Division II with 94.

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders conclude the two-game series with another matchup against USC Aiken at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Aiken, S.C.
• Belmont Abbey hosts defending national champion North Greenville for a three-game Conference Carolinas series beginning at 5 p.m. Friday at Abbey Yard.