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Belmont Abbey College

The Official Website of Belmont Abbey Athletics
Joe Whitaker
13
Winner Belmont Abbey BAC 1-0
2
Coker COKER 0-1
Winner
Belmont Abbey BAC
1-0
13
Final
2
Coker COKER
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Belmont Abbey BAC 0 1 2 4 1 1 2 1 1 13 17 1
Coker COKER 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 3

W: Cipro, Spencer (1-0) L: O. Brockner (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Abbey Baseball Opens 2026 Season with Victory at Coker

HARTSVILLE, S.C. — The Belmont Abbey baseball team got its 2026 season off to a strong start as the Crusaders defeated Coker 13-2 Friday afternoon at Schmotzer Stadium. The contest marked the season opener for both teams.

Joe Whitaker and Connor Paul led the way offensively for the Abbey as Whitaker went 4 for 5 with a home run and three runs batted in. Paul went 3 for 5 highlighted by a grand slam and finished the day with six RBI. As a team, the Crusaders finished with 17 hits on the afternoon.

Spencer Cipro got the start and finished with 3.2 innings pitched with three strikeouts and two runs allowed. Drew Stegura came in relief for 4.1 innings of relief and struck out three without allowing a run.

The previously scheduled doubleheader for Saturday at Abbey Yard has been postponed to a later date.

Belmont Abbey is 1-0 while Coker is 0-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Coker got on the board with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning.
  • Whitaker scored the first home run of the season for the Crusaders with a solo shot to left field in the second.
  • Starting pitcher Spencer Cipro worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second to keep the game even at 1-1. He pitched 3.2 innings and allowed two runs and struck out three.
  • The Crusaders added a pair of runs thanks to a two-run single from Whitaker.
  • Belmont Abbey broke the game open in the fourth inning with the grand slam from Paul to make it 7-2 in favor of the Abbey.
  • After a Coker RBI single to make it 7-2 in the bottom of the inning, Belmont Abbey added runs in the fifth and sixth inning from Jack Boyles and Michael Fattore, respectively.
  • Paul added to his day with a two-run single in the seventh inning.
  • Jacob Steinberg recorded his first RBI as a Crusader with a single in the eighth inning and Carter Bass drove in the final run of the day with an RBI single in the ninth.
  • Todd Velotta was also one of four Crusaders with multiple hits on the day.
  • Hunter Sherrill closed out the game in his Crusader debut with a scoreless ninth inning on just six pitches.
  • The Belmont Abbey pitching staff did not allow the Cobras to get a hit over the final four innings.

UP NEXT
  • Belmont Abbey is scheduled to open the home schedule against Mars Hill on Tuesday.
  • First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Abbey Yard.
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