HARTSVILLE, S.C. — Justin Herrera drove in three runs and Drew Stegura pitched into the seventh inning as the Belmont Abbey baseball team opened the 2025 season with an 11-7 win over Coker Friday afternoon at Tom J. New Field.
 
The Crusaders jumped out to a 9-0 lead highlighted by a five-run third inning before withstanding a seventh-inning Coker rally. The Abbey added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth inning to help seal the win.
 
Herrera was one of three Crusaders to drive in multiple runs on the day along with Jackson Risk and Michael Fattore.
 
Friday's contest was the season opener for both teams.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crusaders came up scoreless in the first inning but took advantage of a Coker baserunning miscue by throwing out a runner at third base in the bottom half of the frame.
• Belmont Abbey got on the board in the second thanks to Herrera's two-run home run.
• The Cobras got a runner to third base but Stegura struck out the final batter of the inning looking to keep Coker off the board.
• Belmont Abbey broke the game open with a five-run third inning thanks to singles from Jackson Risk, Herrera and Michael Fattore. Both Risk and Fattore drove in two runs with their respective hits.
• All five runs came with two outs in the inning.
• Belmont Abbey added two more runs in the sixth with RBI singles from Matthew Fattore.
• Stegura exited in the game in the seventh inning, allowing three runs and eight hits and striking out three on 93 pitches.
• The Cobras got within two runs thanks to a five-run seventh inning and another run in the eighth but Belmont Abbey added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth thanks to Risk scoring on a balk after a leadoff triple.
• Russell Golembe drove in a run on an RBI groundout.
• Joseph Hackmann finished with 2.1 innings in relief to close out the game for The Abbey.

 
UP NEXT

• The Crusaders open the home schedule with a doubleheader against Coker starting at noon at Abbey Yard.