GASTONIA, N.C. — The Belmont Abbey baseball team was locked in a close battle with No. 2 seed Young Harris as the two teams squared off into the night in a winner's bracket contest as part of the Conference Carolinas Baseball Tournament Friday at CaroMont Health Park.
Despite a sixth-inning rally, it was Young Harris who came away with a 6-5 win over the Crusaders.
Matthew Fattore finished with a three-hit while
Justin Herrera and
Joe Whitaker drove in two runs each for the Abbey.
Ethan Wilson took his first loss of the season after getting through the first six innings.
The loss moves Belmont Abbey to 35-13 and to the loser's bracket while Young Harris is now 39-13 and advances to the semifinals on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Powell provided the first two hits of the game for the Crusaders with a lead-off double in the first inning and a two-out single in the third.
- Young Harris got on the board in the third inning off a sacrifice fly.
- The Crusaders had the bases loaded in the fifth but were unable to plate any runners.
- The Mountain Lions extended the lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth.
- Belmont Abbey got a rally started in the sixth with a five-run frame starting with a two-run home run from Whitaker.
- After Fattore drew a walk, Jack Boyles tied the game up with an RBI single followed by a two-run triple from Justin Herrera to make it 5-3.
- Young Harris regained the lead thanks to two Crusader errors to go back up 6-5.
- Thomas Paxton pitched two scoreless innings to keep Belmont Abbey within striking distance.
- Fattore got to third base on a double and a Young Harris error in the ninth but was unable to get home for the tying run.
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey will face No. 1 seed Francis Marion in an elimination game Saturday morning at 11 a.m. from Sims Legion Park in Gastonia.
- If the Crusaders win, they would play another elimination game against the winner of Barton-North Greenville on Saturday at 7 p.m. from CaroMont Health Park.
