Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 Belmont, NC – The Emmanuel Baseball team traveled to Abbey Yard tonight to take on Belmont Abbey in Conference Carolinas play. The Lions got off to a strong start in game one, but the Crusaders would answer with a 5-run 7^th to ultimately take game one, 12-8. In game two, the Lions were victorious, 3-2 but fell in the third and final game of the series, 14-1. With the series loss, the Lions fall to 18-14 overall and 7-8 in conference play. 
 
GAME ONE – 
 
The Lions took the lead early in game one, Thomas Collins and Brody Campbell both got on base with a walk to put runners on first and second for Nick Dietsch. Dietsch was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hayden Beall took advantage, hitting a double to left field to score Dietsch, Campbell, and Collins, giving the Lions a 3-0 lead. 
 
The Crusaders answered back in the bottom of the 2^nd with two runs on 2 hits to cut the Lions lead to 3-2. 
 
Belmont Abbey would tie things up in the bottom of the 3^rd with one run on one hit, to make it 3-3. 
 
In the bottom of the 4^th, the Crusaders expanded their lead, scoring two runs on two hits to go up 5-3.
 
Belmont Abbey added another run in the bottom of the 5^th on two hits, leaving two runners on base to take a 6-3 lead. 
 
After a few scoreless innings, the Crusaders added five runs to their lead on two hits to make it 11-3. 
 
The Lions battled back in the top of the 8^th. Jesus Cruz and Collins both walked, and Brock Wollin was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Brody Campbell. Campbell walked in a run, scoring Cruz, to make it 11-4. Dietsch delivered a single through the left side to score Collins, making it 11-5. Beall kept things going with a single up the middle to score Wollin, cutting the Crusader's lead to 11-6. The Crusaders added a run on two hits in the bottom half of the inning to take a 12-6 lead. 
 
With one last chance to come back, the Lions made a run in the 9^th inning. Cooper Tomkinson started things off getting hit by a pitch. Collins singled to left, advancing to 2^nd on a fielding error, advancing Tomkinson to 3^rd. Wollin followed that up with a single down the right field line to score Tomkinson and make it 12-7. Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Collins and cut the Crusader lead to 12-8 which would be the final score.
At the plate, Thomas Collins went 3-3, scoring 3 runs. 
 
On the mound, Barrett Barkley got the nod, He tossed 3.1 innings, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits, striking out 3 batters. Dosie Drakeford relieved him, pitching 2.2 innings. He gave up 1 runs on 2 hit, striking out 2 batters.  Simon Boggie came in to face six batters, giving up 5 runs on 2 hits, walking 3 batters. Hunter Maddox closed out the game, pitching 2 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits, striking out 2. 
 
The two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow. 
 
GAME TWO – 
 
In game two of the series, the Crusaders got on the board first with a run in the 2^nd inning to take a 1-0 lead. 
 
The Lions responded in the top of the 3^rd. Thomas Collins got things going with a single tup the middle. Brock Wollin followed that up with a double to left, advancing Collins to third. Brody Campbell followed that up with a hit, getting thrown out at first but scoring Collins to tie things up at 1-1. 
 
After several scoreless innings, the Lions got back on the board in the top of the 6^th. Dobbs Bowden and Bailey Stroud both got on base with a walk. Jesus Cruz followed that up with a single to third base to advance the runners. Collins kept things going with a single up the middle to score Stroud and Bowden, giving the Lions a 3-1 lead. 
 
The Crusaders got a run across in the bottom of the 7^th on two hits, to make it 3-2 which would be the final score.
 
At the plate, Jesus Cruz and Thomas Collins combined for 5 hits. 
 
On the mound, Hunter Pirkle got the start, pitching 4.2 innings. He gave up one run on no hits, striking out one runner and walking two. Clifford Brown came in to pitch the final 2.2 innings, earning the win. He gave up 1 run on 2 hits and struck out 4 batters. 
 
GAME THREE 
 
The Crusaders got off to a strong start in game three. 
 
 After a scoreless first inning, Belmont Abbey scored three runs on three hits in the 2^nd inning to take a 3-0 lead. 
 
In the bottom of the 4^th, the Crusaders added 6 runs to their lead on four hits and two errors to make it 9-0.
 
The Lions got on the board in the top of the 6^th. Jesus Cruz walked to start the inning. Thomas Collins followed that up with a double to left to score Cruz and make it 9-1. In the bottom half of the inning, the Crusaders added to their lead, scoring two runs on two hits and three errors to make it 11-1. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Belmont Abbey closed out the game scoring three more runs on five hits to go up 14-1 which would be the final score.
 
At the plate, Thomas Collins and Zachary Bergstrom were both 2-3. 
 
On the mound, Ethan Pooler got the start going 3.0 innings. He gave up six runs (three earned) on seven hits and struck out three batters. Chase Lupton came in next. Going 0.2 innings. He gave up three runs on three hits, striking out one batter and walking two. Noah Cantleberry relieved him, pitching 2.0 innings. He gave up two runs on two hits and struck out four batters, walking two. Ashton Sapp faced five batters, giving up three runs on three hits. Zakk Gibbons closed out the game, pitching 1.2 innings. He gave up two hits ad struck out two batters. 
 
Next up the Lions will travel to face the University of North Georgia tomorrow night at 5:30PM. For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.