GREENWOOD----The Belmont Abbey baseball team pounded out 20 hits Wednesday night to take an 11-3 non-conference victory against Lander at Legion Field.
Belmont Abbey improves to 20-12 overall, while Lander drops to 10-20.
The Crusaders' Evan Jonas (4-2) picked up the win as he struck out seven and allowed three runs on five hits. Lander's Derek Wilson (0-6) took the loss as he struck out one and allowed four earned runs on six hits in one inning pitched.
Belmont Abbey took a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning when Patrick Atwell, Alex Udwari and Will Breslin all singled to load the bases. Seth Waller's RBI double down the left field line scored Atwell and Udwari, then Breslin made it 3-0 on Josh Haire's RBI single to center field.
Lander cut the margin to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning when Jesse Barbaro blasted a solo home run over the right field fence.
The Crusaders stretched the lead to 4-1 in the second when Nick Popp singled then scored on Tyler McKenzie's double to deep right center field. Belmont Abbey added one more run in the fifth when Breslin doubled to centerfield, advanced to third on a ground out, then scored on Alex Castellanos' groundout to second.
Lander made it 5-3 in the fourth. Barbaro singled to right field, advanced to second on T.J. Guinan's single to center field then both scored on Hunter Ruoss's double to centerfield.
Belmont Abbey took a 9-3 lead in the eighth as Breslin stroked a two-RBI double to left field and Seth Waller belted a two-run homer over the left field fence.
The Crusaders added their final two runs in the ninth. Kyle Smith walked, advanced to second on Atwell's walk, to third on McKenzie's fielder's choice and scored on Udwari's single to left field. Udwari and McKenzie advanced to second and third respectively on a passed ball, then McKenzie scored on a wild pitch.
For Lander, Barbaro went 3-for-4 and McLeod went 2-for-4.
For Belmont Abbey, Waller went 2-for-4 with one homer and one double, Breslin went 4-for-5 with two doubles and McKenzie went 3-for-6 with one double.
