BELMONT, N.C. — Belmont Abbey starting pitcher Josh Collett put together his strongest start of the season and the Crusaders had an offensive surge in the middle innings as the Abbey earned a 6-1 win over Erskine Friday evening at Abbey Yard.
 
Facing his former team, Collett allowed just one run and struck out five over seven innings of work to earn his first win as a Crusader. Additionally, Garrett Browder hit his second home run in as many games and Caleb Burr homered as well for the Crusaders.
 
With the win, Belmont Abbey improves to 12-10 overall and 9-4 in Conference Carolinas play. Erskine is 10-14 overall, 3-6 in the league.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings.
• Collett allowed just two hits in the first three innings and the defense turned a double play in the first and threw out an Erskine runner trying to advance to second base on a single in the third.
• Belmont Abbey's first hit of the game came in the fourth inning on a Connor Tucker single. He later scored on an RBI single from Joe Whitaker for the first run of the game.
• Justin Herrera drew a walk with the bases loaded to add a second Crusader run.
• Todd Velotta drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to cap off the inning.
• Browder's two-run home run in the fifth opened up a 5-0 lead for the Crusaders. Tucker also scored after reaching with a walk.
• The Abbey closed the scoring with Burr's lead-off home run in the sixth.
• The Fleet tallied their one run in the seventh but Collett worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam to limit the output.
• Stegura retired the last six Erskine batters in a row to close out the game.

 
UP NEXT

• The series concludes with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. from Abbey Yard.