NEWBERRY- The Newberry College baseball team defeated the Crusaders of Belmont Abbey 4-3 in its home opener on Friday afternoon. The win was the Wolves' fourth straight win of the season.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Michael Gonzalez reached base in all four trips to the plate, going 2-for-2 and getting hit by two pitches. at the plate and scoring one run. 
• Derek Olenchuk and Jeff Sneed each drove in a run. Olenchuk's came on a triple in the third inning, which was Newberry's only extra base hit.
• Daymon Totherow, JoJo Bradley, Sneed and Olenchuk all scored a run apiece.
• Daniel Nations (1-0) earned the win for Newberry, giving up three hits and two runs in six innings. Nations also tallied seven strikeouts on the mound, walking four.
• Mike DeLee picked up his first save of the season, giving up one run in 3.0 innings pitched. He struck out six Crusaders and walked two.
  
  

HOW IT HAPPENED

Bradley and Totherow scored Newberry’s first two runs of the game in the first inning when the Belmont Abbey second baseman threw the ball away attempting to complete a double play. Olenchuk scored the Wolves’ third run later in the inning on a single by Sneed to put Newberry up 3-0 after one inning.

Gonzalez scored Newberry’s final run of the game off Olenchuck’s triple in the third inning. Belmont Abbey got on the board in the fourth with a homer by Nick Nunziato. The Crusaders posted another run when Thomas Yoder crossed home plate off a double from Connor Kwalwasser.

Belmont Abbey got on the board one last time in the seventh inning when Kwalwasser singled to right center sending Joshua Genthe home, cutting the lead to 4-3. BAC would strand three runners in scoring position in the final three innings as the Wolves escaped with a close win despite recording only four base hits.

Nations and DeLee combined for 13 strikeouts in the game. DeLee struck out two batters in each of his three innings of work.

UP NEXT
Newberry will travel to Belmont, N.C., tomorrow for a doubleheader against Belmont Abbey starting at noon. The Wolves then host North Greenville on Tuesday, February 9, at 4 p.m.