GREENWOOD, S.C. — The Belmont Abbey baseball team won its third game in as many days thanks to a 7-6 victory over Lander Wednesday evening at Dolny Stadium.
 
Belmont Abbey led 7-3 entering the ninth inning and only allowed two Bearcat hits through eighth innings before holding off a late charge to secure the win.
 
Connor Powell was one of four Crusaders with two hits on the day and had three runs batted in to lead the Abbey. Spencer Cipro earned the win thanks to 5.2 innings of relief and allowing just two runs on three hits while Jake Craddock got the final out to earn the save.
 
The Crusaders are now 17-13 following Wednesday's contest while Lander is now 20-10 on the year.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Belmont Abbey jumped out to an early lead in the first scoring two runs.
• The first came on a stolen base by Justin Herrera to allow Jack Boyles to score from third.
• Herrera scored later on an RBI single from Caleb Burr.
• Lander jumped ahead 3-2 in the second with a bases-clearing double.
• The Crusaders used a two-out rally to take the lead in the fourth thanks to an RBI double from Powell. He scored on a Boyles single in the following at-bat.
• Powell added to the Abbey lead the next inning with a two-run single.
• Cipro retired the first 12 Lander batters he faced and did not allow a hit until the eighth inning.
• Todd Velotta added the final Crusader run in the eighth to drive in Connor Tucker.
• Cipro recorded the first two outs of the ninth before the Bearcats began to rally.
• Craddock forced a fly-out to center field to end the contest.
• Garrett Browder, Boyles, Velotta and Powell each had two hits for the Crusaders in the win.
• It is the fourth time that the Crusaders have held an opponent to four hits this season and have won all four contests.

 
UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey is off the rest of the weekend for the Easter Break.
• The Crusaders will resume play Tuesday, April 2 at Limestone before jumping back into Conference Carolinas play at North Greenville that weekend.