Kassouf carries Crusaders past GCSU 14-9 at NCAA Regional

AIKEN, SC -- Sophomore first baseman Daniel Kassouf went 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs and five runs batted in to lead sixth-seeded Belmont Abbey College to a 14-9 marathon win over 20th-ranked and third-seeded Georgia College & State University, Friday evening (May 15) on the second day of the NCAA Division II Southeast Baseball Regional Tournament.

The Crusaders improve to 36-24 with their second straight upset win and advance to face the Francis Marion University/Catawba College winner on Saturday at 11 a.m.

For GCSU it was their second loss of the tournament and the Bobcats end their season at 37-19.

The contest which featured a combined 33 hits and lasted 3:26 was delay at the start 1:43 by rain.

In addition to his three hits, Kassouf was walked intentionally in his other three plate appearances. The 6-0 215-pound native of Lexington, N.C., leads Division II with 29 homers.

Belmont Abbey center fielder Justin Vasquez was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs, while third baseman Roland Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one run batted in. Second baseman Carlos Vasquez had a pair of hits and two RBIs.

Junior shortstop Chandler Snell paced the Bobcats with a 4-for-4 night that saw him score once and drive in three runs. Designated hitter Buddy Elmore was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs, while right fielder Derek Johns was 3-for-5.

The Crusaders led 4-2 after five frames when the bat racks of both squads erupted in flames. GCSU scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-4 advantage. Belmont Abbey answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead at 8-6.

After GCSU trimmed the margin to 8-7 on an RBI single by Snell in the seventh, the Crusaders sent 11 batters to the plate in their half of the inning and scored six runs to lead 14-7.

BAC reliever Evan Jonas (2-1) was the beneficiary of the Crusader rally and earned the win. GCSU reliever Martin Dewald (5-3) was tagged with the loss as he surrendered eight runs on five hits in one inning.

Boxscore

GCSU Head Coach Tom Carty – “Disappointing end to the season, even though at beginning of the year, if you had told me we would be in the Southeast Regional with such a young team and a lot of inexperienced guys I wouldn’t have believed it, overall you look at it and you have to chock it up to a nice year.”

“Disappointing end to the season, shows how hard we have to work to get to a national championship. We have our work cut out for us. In the off season, we will Hit ground running, starting tomorrow.”

Belmont Abbey Head Coach Kermit Smith – “A year ago today, we were playing Columbus State and Tyler (Powell) started then too and wasn’t bringing his best stuff then either, but the difference was we found a way to pull out of the game tonight.”

“Our game plan offensively couldn’t have worked out better. It was exactly how we wanted to play.”

“The comeback, if you can call it that, was very short after the other happened there in the sixth. Not necessarily a comeback. We continued to do what we do, we never stopped being who we are and I guess it snowballed on Georgia College.”

“It was just our day.”

“Three weeks ago we played a conference tournament where we had to win five games in 48 hours to get or not get here (to the Southeast Regional). I always feel great about our pitching staff even if we don’t have our best stuff. We have a great group on the mound that really can contend with anyone. Anytime you can go 6 and 1 in 48 hours, you have to have confidence in your guys.”

“We weren’t saving anybody tonight, we were trying to win the game. Zach (Horne) is one of our better pitchers. We were just doing what we thought we had to do to win. Both Zach and Evan (Jonas) did what they needed to do.”


Belmont Abbey First Baseman Daniel Kassouf: on being intentionally walked 3 times after two home runs and a single RBI – “I guess that just puts me on base for my teammates to score.”

“I think we’ve had a few close games this season we’ve lost, but that’s helped us out here. It showed us how we need to play.”