Crusaders Use Big Inning to Beat Lions

BELMONT, N.C. - A three-run fifth inning propelled the Belmont Abbey Crusaders to an 11-5 win over the Mars Hill Lions in baseball action at Abbey Yard on Wednesday afternoon. Belmont Abbey improves to 1-3 on the season, while the Lions drop to 0-4.

Evan Rogers went three-for-four with three singles and three runs scored to lead the Lion bats. Phillip Carroll went two-for-four with two singles, two runs scored and two RBIs. David King went three-for-four with three singles and an RBI.

Michael Falsetti went two-for-five with three RBIs to lead Belmont Abbey. Ian Vazquez and Kennan Stanley each went two-for-four with a double.

Mars Hill took a 2-0 lead in their first at-bat. Rogers led off the game with a single and scored on a King base hit, with King crossing the plate on a Dalton Eisenbath single.

Belmont Abbey pulled ahead in their half of the first inning thanks to a three-run home run from Falsetti. Mars Hill retook the lead in the second inning on consecutive singles from Carroll and Tommy Scala and added a run in the fourth on a Scala groundout that plated Rogers.

Belmont Abbey got to within a run in the fourth inning thanks to a solo home run from Stanley and plated three runs in the home half of the fifth on a wild pitch and two-run single by Weston Clarke. The Crusaders added a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Mars Hill got a runner on base thanks to a one-out single in the sixth and seventh innings but Crusader pitchers managed to get out of each inning without any damage.

Tyler Byrnes earned the win for Belmont Abbey, allowing one run on three hits in three innings. Kevin Searcy was charged with the loss, he allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in five innings of work.

Mars Hill opens the home portion of the 2014 season on Friday afternoon, welcoming Anderson. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.