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February 26, 2009
 MARS HILL, N.C. - Belmont Abbey avenged two loses earlier this season to Mars Hill and won 12-2 Thursday afternoon at Henderson Field. The Crusaders improve to 9-9. The Lions drop to 8-10.
Belmont Abbey scored two runs in the top of the first inning to grab the early lead. Justin Vasquez (Palm City, Fla.) singled through the right side, plating Danny Brion (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Tyler McKenzie (Winston-Salem, N.C.).
The Crusaders got three runs in each of the second and third innings. Leading 3-0, McKenzie hit a two-run homer to right center field. The homerun was McKenzie's second of the season.
Daniel Kassouf (Lexington, N.C.) led off the top of the third inning with a homer to center field. The homerun was Kassouf's eighth of the season. Later in the inning, a Roland Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) single to center field scored Patrick Atwell (China Grove, N.C.) and gave the Crusaders an 8-0 advantage.
Belmont Abbey scored another two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Justin Vazquez doubled to left center, plating Carlos Vasquez (Palm City, Fla.) and Kassouf to give the Crusaders a 10-0 lead. In the fifth inning, Carlos Vasquez singled through the right side, scoring Justin Vasquez and Brion.
Mars Hill got on the board in the bottom of the ninth inning with a one out, two-run bomb over the right field fence by Patrick Davidson (Swannanoa, N.C.). The homerun was Davidson's first of the season. Matt Oleski (West Seneca, N.Y.) also scored on the play to cut the deficit to 12-2, but strikeouts by Kris Torrence (P. Jefferson Station, N.Y.) and Devin Presnell (Boone, N.C.) ended the game.
Michael Maples (Gastonia, N.C.), now 2-1, picked up the win for Belmont Abbey. He pitched five innings of three hit ball and allowed no runs.
Tyler Stephenson (Clyde, N.C.), now 0-1, dropped the decision for Mars Hill. He surrendered six earned runs on six hits in only two and one-third innings pitched.
Mars Hill will host Brevard for a three game series this weekend beginning Saturday with a doubleheader. The first game is set to begin at 12 p.m.
Boxscore...
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