LAURINBURG, N.C. – After dropping their first Appalachian Athletic (AAC) game of the season on Friday to St. Andrews University (SAU), CIU would strike back with a vengeance against the Knights in the first game of their doubleheader on Saturday. CIU defeated SAU 16-7 and would reach double-digit wins in a season for the first time in program history as the victory was the Rams tenth win on the season. The second game of the doubleheader was a different story as CIU dropped the final game of the series 8-2 to move to 10-7 overall and 3-2 in the conference
GAME ONE: 16 SAU 7: After a scoreless first two innings, CIU would score four unanswered runs in the 3rd inning. Tucker Chapman started things off, scoring on a passed ball, and then a triple from Robert Bell added two more to the board for the Rams. The final run of the inning came off an Kody Trujliio RBI single as Bell himself scored. The Knights came storming back, scoring six runs, and took a 6-4 lead heading into the 7th inning. Another Kody Trujillo single opened the flood gates for the Rams in the 7th as the Greenville native notched two more RBI's scoring Gabe Austin and Bell. The Rams would get all the way back through the batting order from there, scoring six more runs in the process. CIU totaled seven hits in the 7th as Carter Willis, Buddy Bleasdale, Joshua Hernandez, Trujillo, and Bell all recorded one or more RBI's in the inning. The Rams would score two more runs before the end of the contest to seize the 16-7 victory.
GAME TWO: SAU 8 CIU 2: The Rams would once again jump out to the early lead. Robert Bell was a key factor in game two as he hit a deep single to right field in the 1st inning. Rafeal Gonzales would then score on the throw, and Bell would reach second base. Both team's bats fell silent until the 3rd inning when the Knights went on a tear, scoring eight runs. CIU would enter the 7th inning, trailing 8-1, but Joshua Hernandez doubled to score Jan Maldonado cutting into the Knights advantage. However, it would be the only run the Rams could muster, falling 8-2 to the Knights in the final game the day.
Doubleheader Notes:
Game One:
- Despite allowing five runs, starting pitcher, Justin Parish had a season-high nine strikeouts in the first game.
- Hunter Garris would get the win for the Rams, pitching a little over four innings while allowing only two runs and three hits in 22 batters faced.
- Kody Trujillo and Robert Bell each had four RBI' and three hits, while Bell recorded both a double and triple.
Game Two:
- Joshua Hernandez had one hit and recorded an RBI while Robert Bell had his second productive game of the day with two hits and an RBI.
- Tyler Parker received the loss on the mound while Chandler Hunter was arguably the Rams most effective pitcher, only giving up one hit and one walk in three innings.
What Coach Jonathan Johnson is saying:
"I was really pleased with our offensive attack in game one, and sadly, we had a nightmare inning in game two that buried us. We will continue cleaning up some issues we have and be a better team next week."
Up Next:
CIU will look to pick up an NAIA win on Monday, March 8th, against USCB, in Bluffton, South Carolina.
