BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University baseball team took an early lead, but fell in the final innings, 12-9 to Belmont Abbey College in the first of a three-game Conference Carolinas series.
THE BASICS:
FINAL SCORE: Belmont Abbey 12, King 9
LOCATION: King Baseball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 6-13, 1-5 Conference Carolinas; Belmont Abbey 10-8, 7-3 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A first inning home run gave Belmont Abbey an early 1-0 lead.
- Chad Evans got King on the board in the bottom of the inning, hitting a double down the left field line, allowing Roper to tie the game.
- King took the lead in the second, as Levi Medford reached base on a throwing error, with Bryant scoring from third to put King in front, 2-1.
- Garret Huffman added a run in the third, singling to right field to score Conner Hyatt.
- The Crusaders then scored three times in the fourth, taking a 4-3 lead.
- Nathan Borchardt hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame, before Bryant drew a bases loaded walk to put King in front, 5-4.
- King struck for four runs in the sixth, highlighted by Bryant's home run, which followed an RBI single from Hyatt.
- Belmont Abbey used a four-run seventh to pull to within 9-8, before scoring four runs in the eighth to take a 12-9 lead.
- King loaded the bases in the ninth, but were unable to score, dropping the opening game, 12-9.
FOR THE FOES
- Joe Whitaker had a home run for Belmont Abbey, while three different Crusaders had three hit days.
- Jake Andriole was 2-for-4, with three RBI on the day.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Hunter Hill (1-1) 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Losing Pitcher: Cole Pletcher (0-1) 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
Save: Thomas Paxton (3) `.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
UP NEXT
- The two teams will close the series with a doubleheader Friday afternoon, with game one starting at 12 p.m.
