Hickory, N.C.-- Lenoir-Rhyne's Baseball Team got RBI singles from Connor Smith and Will Jones early then turned it over to their bullpen to pull out the 2-1 win on Wednesday afternoon. The Bears bullpen went 4 1/3 hitless innings, while striking out seven Crusaders in dominating fashion.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final:  Lenoir-Rhyne 2, Belmont Abbey 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (7-5), Belmont Abbey (3-9)
Location: Bears Field | Hickory, N.C.

STATS OF GAME:

• Bears got on the board in the third when Smith and Jones both extended their hitting streaks to seven games with RBI singles. 
• Belmont Abbey's Ben Sneider broke up the no-hitter and shutout with a leadoff homerun to left. 
• Joey Cobb got the start for the Bears and went 4 2/3 innings while only allow the homerun and striking out four. 
• Brett Fulk came out of the pen to face the Crusaders lead-off hitter Sean Johnson with runners on first and second. Fulk got out of the jam with a strikeout to hold the lead at 2-1. Fulk picked up his first win of the season with the outing. 
• Andrew Dye pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the Bears. It was Dye's third straight scoreless outing out of the pen for the Bears.
• Xander Ferlenda reached base all four times today. Ferlenda had two singles then walked his last two at-bats. Ferlenda stole his second and third bases of the year as well.
• Joshua Lanham pitched two hitless innings, striking out three while only allowing a walk. 
• Ben Friebel pitched the scoreless ninth to pick up his third save of the season. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Jones moved to 10th in the SAC with a .393 batting average on the year.
• Bears took two games from Belmont Abbey last year by scoring 23 runs in the two games in Hickory.
• David Bell moved his hitting streak to four games. 
• Ferlander has now scored a run in four straight games.

UP NEXT:  Baseball will open conference play with a weekend series at home against Carson-Newman on Friday at 6:00 PM