SALISBURY, N.C. — For the second consecutive meeting, nine innings was not enough to decide a winner as the Belmont Abbey baseball team took on Catawba Tuesday evening at Newman Park.
The contest once again went 11 innings but it was a bases-loaded walk that proved the difference as the Crusaders fell 5-4 to the Indians.
Todd Velotta had three hits and
Joe Whitaker hit his team-leading 16th home run of the season to lead the Crusader offense.
Davin Miller-Madden struck out four in six innings of work in his latest start.
Belmont Abbey is now 28-9 and saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end. Catawba is now 29-7.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Crusaders had an early threat in the first inning but were turned away after an inning-ending double play.
- Catawba took a 2-0 lead with a home run in the first inning.
- Velotta recorded the first two hits for the Crusaders before Whitaker's three-run home run in the fifth inning gave the Abbey the lead.
- Whitaker made it 4-2 after he scored on a wild pitch in the seventh inning.
- Catawba rallied to tie the game with runs in the seventh inning.
- Belmont Abbey had a chance to go ahead in the ninth inning but hit into a double play.
- Catawba led the 11th inning off with a triple and later scored on a bases-loaded walk to end the contest.
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey returns to Conference Carolinas play with a three-game series at Southern Wesleyan.
- First pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Central, S.C.
