Tigerville, S.C.—North Greenville fell to 22-13 on the season and 11-5 in Conference Carolinas play on Friday afternoon after dropping the opening game of a 3 game set to Belmont Abbey 2-1 in 9 innings.

Drew Provence, who registered 11 strikeouts in 7 innings of work, held Abbey at bay, allowing just 1 earned run in the 5^th inning. Both squads were equal at the plate with 7 hits while Belmont Abbey struck out 12 times. Provence worked out of bases loaded jams in the 6^th and 7^th innings holding the Crusaders scoreless in both innings.

North Greenville scored its only run of the game in the 2^nd inning when David Frazier scored on a sacrifice fly from Anthony Foulk.. Belmont tied the game in the 5^th inning scoring a run on an NGU error. Abbey pulled ahead for the first time in the 8^th inning scoring 1 run on 1 hit.

NGU’s best chance to tie the game came in the 8^th but the Crusaders left two runners on and went quietly in the 9^th, pulling Belmont Abbey even in the west with the Crusaders.

North Greenville and Belmont Abbey will battle for first place in the west tomorrow with a double feature starting at 12pm.