The Crusaders had an early lead slip away, but Belton graduate Kyle Shipp hit a run-scoring single in the top of the 11th inning to help UMHB edge St. Edward’s for a 10-9 victory.
“To play well against a club like St. Ed’s and come away with a win, that feels pretty good,” Crusaders coach Micah Wells said. “It felt good just to get outside and get all those first-game jitters out of the way.”
T.J. McKnight, UMHB’s third relief pitcher, recorded the win after allowing no earned runs and striking out three batters in three innings. Stephen Spanier got the save by hurling a hitless bottom of the 11th.
Michael Laniak (1-1) took the loss against NCAA Division III UMHB for the D-II Hilltoppers, who dropped to 4-4.
Dean Shirley began the Crusaders’ season with a bang by hitting a leadoff home run for a 1-0 lead. St. Ed’s answered with a run in the first, but UMHB scored three runs in the third, three more in the fourth, and one in the sixth to go up 8-2.
Starter Kyle Furrer threw five solid innings for the Crusaders, allowing four hits and notching five strikeouts, but the Hilltoppers got to UMHB’s bullpen for three runs in the sixth and two apiece in the seventh and ninth to forge a 9-9 tie and force extra innings.
St. Ed’s could have won the game on Matt Schuld’s RBI single to right field in the ninth, but Shirley threw out the potential deciding run at home plate to keep the Crusaders alive.
After a scoreless 10th, Justin Champion reached base and Shipp drove him in with the go-ahead single.
Will Doyle had four hits and two stolen bases for UMHB.
