WILSON, N.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (23-18, 19-13 CC) began play in the 2021 Conference Carolinas Tournament with a convincing 11-1 win over Belmont Abbey College (20-19, 18-13 CC) at Fleming Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The offense was led by a two-home run game from Drew Yniesta while Allan Saathoff tossed seven plus solid innings. 

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
The Fleet are now 2-3 against the Crusaders this season, who lead the all-time series 33-29.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After Allan Saathoff retired the side in order in the top of the first, the third-seeded Fleet gave their junior right-hander an early lead. Cody Forster drew a leadoff walk, and back-to-back singles from Drew Yniesta and Dalton Reeves loaded the bases with just one out. Dayan Reinoso was a hit by pitch to open the scoring and Dalton Boyd followed with a two-run double. Erskine had runners on second and third with still one out, but were forced to settle for a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Belmont Abbey got a run back in the second inning, but Saathoff struck out the side following a walk and a double to limit the damage. The Erskine bats cooled off after an explosive opening frame, but Saathoff's great work kept the Fleet in front. Then, senior Drew Yniesta launched a three-run home run in the fifth inning to open up a 6-1 lead. Saathoff retired the side in order again in the sixth, and a pair of solo home runs from Trevor Lesane and Forster extended Erskine's lead to 8-1. In the seventh, Yniesta led off with his second home run of the game as Erskine hit leadoff big flies in both the sixth and seventh innings. Two batters later, Reinoso launched a home run to left center field before an RBI single from Lesane finished off an 11-1 victory for the Fleet in their Conference Carolinas Tournament opener. Saathoff could not make it through the eighth inning, but was dominant, allowing just one hit and tallying a career-high 11 strikeouts.

THE PLAYER
GAME 1: Drew Yniesta was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four driven in. Yniesta launched a big three-run home run in the fifth inning and hit a solo shot in the seventh as part of his big day at the plate.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The third-seeded Fleet move into the winners' bracket and will take on a red-hot Barton College (18-18, 15-13 CC) on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Bulldogs are the hosts of the 2021 Conference Carolinas Tournament and have scored 34 runs in their first two games of the tournament.

Erskine won both games of doubleheader on the Bulldogs' campus back in late February, and the teams split a doubleheader at Fleming Stadium in late March.
 
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