JACKSONVILLE, FL – The CIU baseball team won its first series (2-1) in program history with an 8-6 win over the Trinity Baptist College Eagles Saturday afternoon. The win came in the second game of a doubleheader with the NCCAA foe. The Rams dropped their first game of the day 8-6 to the Eagles after defeating Trinity Baptist last night. The victories bring the Rams record to 3-3, while Trinity Baptist drops to 1-2 on the season.

Game One: TBC 8 CIU 6

Play by Play Highlights:

• (1st Inning) Coming off a four-RBI game the night before Joshua Hernandez (C) got the scoring going for the Rams singling to send Carter Willis(LF) home.
• (2nd Inning) Tyler Parker notched two strikeouts in the inning.
• (4th Inning) Hernandez picked up yet another RBI on a line drive sending home both Hunter Coleman and Chandler Hunter.
• (6th Inning) Buddy Bleasedale homered to left field sending in Chandler Hunter and Joshua Hernandez.

Box Score Highlights: 

• Joshua Hernandez had three RBI's and scored run on only two at-bats.
• Buddy Bleasedale picked three RBIs of his own, coming off a homer over the left-field fence.
• Chandler Hunter had two hits and crossed home plate twice in five at-bats.

Game Two: CIU 8 TBC 6 

 Play by Play Highlights:

• (1st Inning) Alex Miller lined out to center field, but Kolby Livesy would score after tagging up. 
• (3rd Inning) After a Carter Willis single, Shane Hammonds would hit the Rams third homer of the week and gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.
• (3rd Inning) Alex Miller would steal second and then score off a Jake Lewis single.
• (3rd Inning) Jacob Lewis would steal home to give the Rams their 4th run of the inning.
• (4th Inning) Hunter Coleman stole second and then scored on an error moments later.
• (4th Inning) Willis scored on a Joshua Hernandez groundout.
• (7th Inning) Gaven Causey singled to send Alex Miller home to hold off an Eagles comeback bid, 8-6.
• (7th Inning) Causey would then catch the Eagles' Christian Draper stealing to pick up the final out for CIU and seal the win.

Box Score Highlights:

• CIU saw offensive success from across the board as four different Rams recorded an RBI.
• Shane Hammonds blasted the Rams third home run of the weekend in the third inning.

Pitching:

• Hunter Garris shut out the Eagles through four innings while also recording two strikeouts. 
• Joshua Hernandez closed Trinity Baptist out in the final two innings picking up three strikeouts.

Coach Jonathan Johnson on the series:

"We continue to take steps in the right direction as a team. We have a lot to clean up but it was great getting our first series win behind us."

Up Next: 

CIU returns to the Palmetto State to play a doubleheader with the University of South Carolina-Beaufort on Tuesday, February 11th