BELMONT, N.C. — The Belmont Abbey baseball team used a five-run burst in the first two innings and an aggressive approach on the basepaths as the Crusaders completed a three-game sweep of Shepherd with a 14-9 win Saturday at Abbey Yard.
Caleb Burr drove in four runs — three of them coming on a bases-clearing double — while
Jack Boyles had two hits and stole three bases on the afternoon.
Matthew Fattore also finished with three stolen bases on the day.
Ryan Conover got the win on the mound after coming in relief of starting pitcher
Ethan Wilson.
Belmont Abbey is now 6-1 overall after winning its fifth straight game. Shepherd is now 0-3 following its opening weekend of play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wilson helped the Crusaders on the mound by retiring six of the first seven batters he faced.
- Joe Whitaker got Belmont Abbey on the board after reaching base after being hit by a pitch and later scoring on a double steal.
- Jackson Risk and Michael Fattore drove in the other three runs of the frame. Risk had a double and Fattore added a two-run single.
- Burr drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
- After the Rams got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, Burr drove in three more runs with a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the frame.
- Shepherd got within 8-5 in the fifth before Whitaker's two-run double and an RBI groundout from Connor Tucker to make it 11-5.
- The Rams got back within three runs in the eighth at 11-8 before the Crusaders added three more runs: all of which came on three straight bases loaded walks.
- Belmont Abbey was hit by a pitch seven more times on Saturday, bringing its total to 25 on the weekend.
UP NEXT
- The Crusaders host Wingate for a nonconference game on Tuesday.
- First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Abbey Yard.
