GREENWOOD, S.C. — Joe Whitaker drove in four runs to the lead Belmont Abbey baseball team Tuesday at Lander but it was the Bearcats who came away with the 16-8 win over the Crusaders at Dolny Stadium.
Both teams battled back-and-forth but a seven-run seventh inning from Lander proved to be the difference.
Whitaker hit his second home run of the season and earned an RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the contest. Three Crusaders —
Matthew Fattore,
Carter Bass and
Josh Wilson — each had two hits on the day.
Belmont Abbey suffered its first loss of the season and is 4-1 on the year. Lander is now 6-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Fattore reached on an error in the first at-bat of the game but the Crusaders were unable to bring anyone across.
- Lander jumped out to an early lead with four runs over the first two innings.
- The Crusaders answered in the third inning with Whitaker's three-run home run, his second of the season.
- That was followed by an RBI double by Matthew Fattore in the fourth to pull even.
- Lander responded with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- The best inning for Belmont Abbey came in the sixth with a four-run frame.
- Carter Bass drove in two runs with a single followed by Whitaker's bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 7-7.
- Jacob Steinberg was hit by a pitch in the following at bat to give Belmont Abbye an 8-7 lead.
- The Bearcats broke the game open with a seven-run seventh inning and two more in the eighth.
- Aaron George took the loss on the mound for the Crusaders.
UP NEXT
- The Crusaders head on the road for a three-game Conference Carolinas series at Shorter.
- The series begins with a doubleheader at noon Friday followed by a single game at noon Saturday.
