Staff report
SALISBURY – It wasn’t the standard way to win a baseball game – a bases-loaded walk drawn by Brandon Crabtree in the 11th inning – but the Catawba Indians will take it.
Catawba (29-7) won 5-4 at Newman Park on Tuesday night in a tough non-conference fight with Belmont Abbey (28-9).
Jake Dunlap had four of Catawba’s nine hits.
Hunter Atkins hit a two-run homer for the Indians in the first inning.
Joe Whitaker hit a three-run homer for the Crusaders in the fifth.
Catawba trailed 4-2 going to the bottom of the seventh. Nathan Chrismon (South Rowan) had an RBI in the seventh, and Ty Hubbard (South Rowan) singled home a run for a 4-all tie in the eighth.
It stayed that way until Crabtree’s unorthodox RBI walked it off in the 11th.
First in one national poll and third in another, Catawba pitched the bullpen, using five hurlers.
Joe Burlesyon (East Rowan) pitched the last three innings, a long stint for him, and earned the win. Burleyson walked four, but he survived by allowing only one hit.
Belmont Abbey 000 030 100 00 – 4
Catawba 200 000 110 01 – 5
HR – Atkins (4). W – J. Burleyson (3-1).
