TIGERVILLE, S.C. — Drew Stegura put together his best career start with Belmont Abbey baseball as the Crusaders concluded its series with a doubleheader against No. 3 North Greenville Saturday afternoon at Ashmore Park.
Stegura threw a complete-game shutout and allowed just one hit to North Greenville as Belmont Abbey took the opener 7-0. He allowed just three baserunners in his start to help the Abbey earn its 20th win of the season. NGU took the nightcap 7-5.
With Saturday's results, Belmont Abbey is now 20-15 overall, 12-9 in Conference Carolinas play. North Greenville is now 29-8 and 16-5 in league action.
THE OPENER
- Caleb Burr got the scoring started for the Crusaders with a two-run single in the top of the first inning.
- Garrett Browder doubled the Abbey lead with a two-run single to score Jack Boyles and Connor Powell.
- Stegura retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced in his outing.
- Connor Tucker's RBI double in the fifth made it 5-0.
- NGU's lone hit came in the fifth inning on a leadoff single. Stegura retired the next three batters he faced, including two of his seven strikeouts.
- The seven strikeouts matches a career-high dating back to the Chowan game last season.
- The Crusaders added two more runs in the sixth on a home run from Jake Andriole and a Powell RBI.
THE NIGHTCAP
- North Greenville got on the board in the first inning with an RBI double.
- The Abbey tied the game at 1-1 when Caleb Burr came around to score from second base on a failed pickoff attempt.
- The Crusaders took a two-run lead in the third when Andriole was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Garrett Browder scored on an NGU error.
- After NGU tied the game in the fourth, Belmont Abbey took a two-run lead into the bottom of the seventh thanks to runs batted in from Will Hudler and Powell.
- Alex Sniffen struck out seven in his start for the Crusaders over six innings of work.
- All nine batters for Belmont Abbey recorded a hit in the second game of the doubleheader.
- North Greenville rallied for four runs in the seventh to take the lead at 7-5.
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey closes its extended road trip with a game at Catawba at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Salisbury.
- The Crusaders return home for a three-game series against UNC Pembroke next weekend.