BELMONT, N.C. — The Belmont Abbey baseball team jumped out to a fast start and never looked back as the Crusaders closed the regular season with an 18-8 Senior Day win over King Saturday afternoon at Abbey Yard.
The Crusaders jumped out to a 10-1 lead after the first three innings as Belmont Abbey won its sixth straight game.
Drew Stegura earned his seventh win of the season with a five-inning on the mound while
Caleb Burr had a four-hit day to lead the Crusaders offensively.
With the win, Belmont Abbey closes the regular season with a 34-14 record and a 21-9 record in Conference Carolinas play. King is 14-35 overall and 8-22 in the league.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Belmont Abbey got on the board in the first inning by scoring on a King throwing error and later an RBI groundout from Burr.
- After King hit a home run in the second inning, the Crusaders broke the game open with a five-run frame.
- Powell got the scoring started with an RBI double followed by a two-run double from Todd Velotta.
- Burr drove in two more runs with another double two batters later.
- The Crusaders added three more runs in the third inning after taking advantage of another King error.
- Powell and Velotta drove in runs to cap the scoring in the frame.
- King added two runs in the fifth but Belmont Abbey answered with three runs thanks to an RBI double from Boyles and a two-run single from Josh Wilson.
- The Crusaders added three more runs in the sixth, two of which came off a dropped fly ball. Herrera drove in another run via sacrifice fly.
- King added a run in the seventh and four in the ninth.
- Ethan McLain drove in a run on Senior Day while Emerson scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to cap the scoring for the Crusaders.
SENIOR DAY
- Belmont Abbey honored 20 seniors in a pregame ceremony.
- The seniors recognized Saturday were: Connor Powell, Brady Emerson, Carter DuHaime, Connor Tucker, Spencer Cipro, Ethan Wilson, Joseph Hackmann, Justin Herrera, Hunter Hill, Jackson Risk, Frankie Barrett, Kai Giro, Blake Hanly, Ethan Wilson, Patrick Burns, Evan Long, Brandon Baker, Michael Gracer, Brock Turkington, Ethan McLain and Zach Gonsiorowski.
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey will await its seed in the Conference Carolinas Tournament scheduled to begin Wednesday at CaroMont Health Park.
- The full tournament bracket will be unveiled Saturday night. Check abbeyathletics.com online and on social media for more information.