Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Score board

The Official Website of CIU Athletics

Columbia International University Athletics

Josua Hernandez vs SEU
5
Columbia Int'l CIU 0-2
7
Winner Southeastern SEUBA21 2-0
Columbia Int'l CIU
0-2
5
Final
7
Southeastern SEUBA21
2-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Columbia Int'l CIU 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 5 8 2
Southeastern SEUBA21 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 4 7 7 0

W: Al Pesto (1-0) L: Polly, Trent (0-1)

15
Columbia Int'l CIU 0-3
16
Winner Southeastern SEUBA21 3-0
Columbia Int'l CIU
0-3
15
Final
16
Southeastern SEUBA21
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Columbia Int'l CIU 2 0 0 6 4 0 3 0 0 15 8 1
Southeastern SEUBA21 0 6 1 0 2 2 0 5 X 16 14 4

W: Jack Wolgast (1-0) L: Austin, Gabe (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | gfrierson

CIU Baseball puts NAIA on notice after competitive series with #1 Southeastern

LAKELAND, Fla. – If the NAIA was unaware of CIU Rams Baseball, that all changed this Saturday. Despite losing both games of Saturday's doubleheader versus #1 Southeastern University, the Rams looked impressive even dominant at times against the nation's best team. CIU fell on a walk-off home run by the Fire in game one and then ran up 15 runs on Southeastern in game two before a late rally by the Fire ended CIU's upset hopes. Furthermore, catcher Joshua Hernandez has emerged as one of the NAIA's best players, as the AC Flora alumni wowed over the weekend.

Game One: SEU 7 CIU 5

How It Happened: Like Friday's contest, CIU would take an early lead over the Fire. After a double from Joshua Hernandez and a single by Gabe Austin, Hernandez would score on the throw as Austin stole second, giving CIU the 1-0 lead in the first inning. Thanks to an impressive season debut by second-year pitcher Brett Collins the Rams kept the Fire scoreless through four innings. In the top of the 5th, Hernandez would once again provide instant offense as the Columbia native belted a home run to centerfield, sending Carter Willis home and giving CIU the 3-0 advantage.

Despite a gutsy performance from reliever Trent Polly, the Fire tied the contest at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. CIU and Southeastern found themselves deadlocked at 3-3 heading into the ninth inning, and the Rams would once again turn to the ever-reliable Hernandez. The junior catcher came up big once again, connecting with a Southeastern pitch for his second home run and fourth RBI to give CIU the 5-3 lead. Unfortunately for CIU, heartbreak followed as Southeastern's Pedro Castellano homered with two outs and two runners on base to provide the Fire with the 7-5 walk-off win.

Game Notes:

  • Joshua Hernandez played a part in every Rams score as he had two home runs and four RBI's. The junior also got on base on all four of his at-bats.
  • Carter Willis, Shane Hammonds, and Gabe Austin all recorded a double for CIU during the contest.
  • Pitching was much improved for CIU as starter Brett Collins yielded no runs and only one hit while recording three strikeouts in four innings.
  • After a short stint from Hunter Garris, Trent Polly pitched the contest's remainder giving up six runs while putting out six Fire batters.

Game Two: SEU 16 CIU 15 

How It Happened: On cue, the Rams would take a 2-0 lead in the first inning because of the Fire's miscues. However, CIU gave up six runs in the second inning and trailed 7-2 heading into the fourth. CIU would explode for six runs in the fourth inning thanks to more mistakes by the Fire and a double from Joshua Hernandez, which scored Corley Cheeks and Jan Maldonado. The Rams scored four more runs in the top of the fifth after Carter Willis was walked with the bases loaded, and Hernandez picked up two more RBI's to put CIU up 12-7. The Fire rallied, and CIU found themselves in the top of the ninth, trailing 16-15 with two outs and a runner on second and third. Unable to score, the game would slip away from the Rams as CIU couldn't quite knock off the Fire. 

Game Notes:

  • Joshua Hernandez was phenomenal all weekend and finished the final game of the evening with seven RBI's in four at-bats while scoring two runs. Hernandez recorded his third home run of the series in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
  • CIU freshmen Jan Maldonado, Cole Cascio, and Corley Cheeks combined for seven of the Rams 15 runs. 
  • Carter Willis filled the stat sheet with a hit, a run, an RBI, and a stolen base.
  • Gabe Austin and Buddy Bleasedale both picked up doubles, while Shane Hammonds and Alex Miller each recorded an RBI. Hammonds and Bleasedale were walked a combined five times. 
  • The Rams threw six different pitchers at the Fire combining for four strikeouts as a staff. 

What Coach Jonathan Johnson is saying:

" I couldn't be more proud of how the guys played today. After losing game one with a crushing three run homer in the bottom of the ninth they jumped right back to take the lead in game two only to lose another heart breaker. They will be better after suffering those losses today. We will bounce back a stronger team. I believe in these young men. The Rams are going to have a spectacular season!"

Up Next 

CIU will be back in Florida next weekend as they take on Trinity Baptist in a weekend series on February 5th and 6th. 

Print Friendly Version