Wingate, N.C.----In a battle of two of the top three teams in the region, the Belmont Abbey Crusaders got a ninth-inning homer from
Thomas Yoder to prevail 5-4 at Wingate University in NCAA Division II baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The Crusaders move to 11-2 on the year, while the Bulldogs fall to 10-2 overall.
Yoder was two-for-four on the day, connecting on a pair of homers.
Josh Genthe added three hits including a homer, while
Kevin Elefante was three-for-four with an RBI.
Matt McGarry also drove in a run for Belmont Abbey.
Junior infielder
Reece Daniel (Asheboro, N.C.) was two-for-two with a homer and two runs scored to lead the Wingate offense. Freshman outfielder
Justin Guy (Greensboro, N.C.) added a double and two RBI, while senior infielder
Brett Branton (Athens, Ga.) also drove in a run.
The Crusaders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, with
Nick Beinlich starting the game with a double, then scoring on a McGarry sacrifice fly. Yoder followed with a solo shot to center to put Belmont Abbey on top by two.
Wingate scored three times in the second to take the lead. A walk and back-to-back singles from Daniel and
Trent Wynn (New Bern, N.C.) loaded the bases for Guy, who lined a two-run double to right center to tie it. Branton followed with a sacrifice fly to put the Bulldogs on top 3-2.
Belmont Abbey scored twice in the fifth to regain the lead. Genthe tied it with a two-out solo shot to right, while Elefante's RBI double made it 4-3.
Wingate tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Daniel connected on his first homer of the year, a solo shot to left center to make it 4-4.
That was the score until the top of the ninth, when Yoder connected on his second homer of the day and fourth of the season, a solo shot to right center to make it 5-4.
Parker MacPhail got the win, tossing 1 2/3 no-hit innings in relief with four strikeouts. Junior right-hander
Lane Wildman (Virginia Beach, Va.) took the loss, falling to 1-1. He allowed a run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings of work, striking out one.
Wingate is back in action Friday, opening conference play at home when Lincoln Memorial comes to town for a three-game series, starting Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN3.