GASTONIA, N.C. — For the first time since 2009, the Belmont Abbey baseball team is back on top of Conference Carolinas.
Facing elimination since Friday night, the Crusaders rallied for two wins over No. 2 seed Young Harris on Monday at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia by defeating the Mountain Lions 7-6 and 5-4 to win the title.
The Crusaders improve to 40-15 overall and clinch the automatic bid to the NCAA Southeast Regional after playing in seven games over the span of five days. It is the second tournament title in program history and the first since the 2009 season.
Todd Velotta finished with five hits over the course of the two games while
Thomas Paxton recorded two saves to help the Abbey capture the title.
Young Harris is also 40-15 following the conclusion of the tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Belmont Abbey 7, Young Harris 6
- The Crusaders got off to a strong start thanks to an RBI single from Jackson Risk.
- The second inning saw an offensive surge as Young Harris got four runs in the second followed by a four-run inning from the Abbey.
- Joe Whitaker got the surge started with a home run followed by RBI doubles from Powell and Todd Velotta. The inning was capped off another RBI single from Risk.
- Jack Boyles added an RBI double to make it 6-4 in the third for Belmont Abbey. He added another and RBI single in the fifth to make it 7-5.
- Young Harris got within a run thanks to a sacrifice fly at 7-6 but the Crusaders got the runner out on second base to end the inning on a double play.
- Joseph Hackmann got the start for Belmont Abbey and pitched into the fifth inning on 72 pitches.
- Blake Hanly and Jacob Larkins came in in relief for the Abbey and Larkins struck out three and did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings.
- Thomas Paxton recorded his eighth save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Game 2: Belmont Abbey 5, Young Harris 4
- Ashton Plyler got his first career start with Belmont Abbey and pitched two scoreless innings as an opener.
- The Crusaders got on the board in the second inning thanks to a two-out, two-run double from Justin Herrera.
- After Plyler's start, Ethan Wilson came in and pitched two scoreless innings and eventually earned the win.
- Belmont Abbey added three more runs in the sixth thanks to an RBI groundout from Boyles and a two-run home run from Jake Bidoglio.
- A grand slam in the seventh inning gave Young Harris got the Mountain Lions back within a run.
- Spencer Cipro recorded the final out in the seventh and pitched a perfect eighth inning to set the stage.
- After Young Harris had runners on the corners, Paxton, Boyles and Joe Whitaker helped turning the game-ending double play to earn the title.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey will await its seeding in the postseason with the NCAA Division II baseball selection show scheduled for Sunday, May, 11.
- The show will be streamed live at NCAA.com.
