Box Score

Due West, SC – Chase Corn (Travelers Rest, SC, Blue Ridge HS) blasted the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the ninth over the right field fence to break a 5-5 tie and give the Fleet a walk off win in their series opener against Belmont Abbey.  The walk off home run capped a 4-4 day for Corn in which he hit for the natural cycle (single, double, triple, home run, in order).

In the top of the first, Anthony Dimino would hit a two out single and then stole second and scored on a single by Michael Falsetti to give the Crusaders the lead.  The Erskine (17-8, 5-4) offense would struggle for the first three innings, but exploded in the fourth inning.  Drew Willingham (Greenwood, SC, Greenwood HS) lead off the inning with a double and then scored on a single by Cody Spence (Belton, SC, Belton-Honea Path HS) to tie the game.  After a single by Sam Cothran (Williamston, SC, Palmetto HS), Spence would score on a single by Austin Gambrell (Belton, SC, Spartanburg Methodist College).  Brandon Wooten (Taylors, SC, Blue Ridge HS) would follow up with a single to score Cothran to make it a 3-1 game.  After a sacrifice bunt by Zack Jones (Anderson, SC, USC Sumter), Corn would rip a two out double to right field to increase the Fleet lead to four. 

Falsetti would blast a solo home run in the top of the sixth for Belmont Abbey (16-6-1, 3-5) and make the score 5-2.  In the top of the eighth, Dimino would lead off with a home run to make it a two run game.  The Crusaders would then take advantage of two Erskine errors to tie the game at five.  The score would remain tied until the bottom of the ninth when Corn would take the first pitch over the right field wall to give the Fleet the win.

Corn’s big day led the Fleet at the plate, while Willingham was 2-4 with a double and run scored.  Kit Carter (Duncan, SC, Byrnes HS) (4-0) picked up the win allowing just one hit and striking out two in two innings of relief. 

Falsetti led Belmont Abbey going 3-5 with two RBI’s, while Dimino was 2-4 with a run batted in and two runs scored.  Emilio Pagan (1-1) took the loss allowing just the one hit and striking out two in one inning of work.

The two teams will conclude their series tomorrow with a double header starting at noon.