EMERSON, Ga. - After struggling on day one of the SouthEast Rumble NAIA showcase, CIU baseball made up for it on Saturday, recording their second NAIA top ten win of the season. The Rams took on No. 6 Faulkner University (Ala.) in a single game at LakePoint Sports Complex and outlasted the Eagles in 11 innings 5-2. The victory was especially sweet because the Rams avenged two losses in which they fell to a ranked Faulkner team last season. The Rams move to 4-8 on the season with the victory as the Eagles fall to 2-4 on the year.  

Justin Parish started the game for CIU and was superb in the early going keeping the Eagles off the board until Faulkner finally recorded a run in the fifth inning. CIU responded in the sixth on a Ward Hacklen RBI-single to tie the game. Rafael Gonzales then gave CIU the lead forcing Faulkner to allow Robert Bell to score on a fielder's choice in the top of the seventh. Faulkner and CIU stayed deadlocked at 2-2 until the top of the eleventh inning when Joshua Hernandez recorded a three-RBI double with the bases loaded. Peyton Evans would then strike out two batters in the bottom of the eleventh to help give CIU the 5-2 victory. 

Parish and Evans were each excellent on the mound in their own right. Parish notched the win with six strikeouts in six innings while allowing just five hits and one run. Evans produced almost a mirror performance with five strikeouts in five innings, only allowing one run and five hits. 

Ward Hacklen was arguably the Ram's most productive offensive player at the plate as he got on base three times with two hits, a double, and a RBI in four at-bats.

What Coach Jonathan Johnson is saying: 

"Today was another huge program win. Battling all weekend with playoff-caliber teams was a test for our guys. Exciting to see our squad beat one of the best teams in the nation in Faulkner."

Up next:

CIU will begin Appalachian Athletic Conference play on the road on Friday, Feb. 18, against Milligan University (Tenn.) at 3 PM.