Burlington, NC – Second seeded Erskine scored seven unanswered runs to erase a 5-0 deficit and held on for the 7-6 victory over fifth seeded Belmont Abbey Thursday in the first round of the Conference Carolinas baseball tournament.

Belmont Abbey (23-21) would score an unearned run in the first and a run in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead.  In the top of the fifth, the Crusaders would get three runs on back to back home runs from Kayden Krause and Anthony Dimino to make it a 5-0 game.  In the bottom half of the inning Joey Wilson would draw a one out walk and score on a home run by Brandon Overstreet to cut the lead to three.  Erskine (33-15) would then get three straight singles by Sam Cothran, Zach Smith, and Richard Dix to make it a 5-3 game.  In the bottom of the sixth, Brandon Wooten would lead off with a double to center field and score on a single by Andrew Kozak to make it a one run game.  Wilson would then score when Overstreet reached on a fielder's choice to tie the game up.  After a single by Cothran, Smith would double down the left field line to score two and give Erskine its first lead of the game.  The Crusaders would score a run in the seventh, but the Fleet would hold on for the victory.

Smith was 3-5 with two doubles and two RBI's to lead the Fleet at the plate, while Cothran, Dix, and Kozak each had two hits.  Luke Crumley (9-1) picked up the win allowing four earned runs on five hits and striking out four in six innings of work.  Zach McAllister (6) picked up the save allowing one run on two hits and striking out three in three innings of relief.

With the win, Erskine advances to play Pfeiffer tomorrow at 7:00 pm.