WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - CIU baseball picked up their first win of the 2022 season and their third win all-time over an NAIA top 10 opponent as they split their Saturday doubleheader with No. 8 Keiser University (Fla.). The Rams (1-6) took game one of the day, putting up double-digit runs on the Seahawks for a 10-7 victory. The script was flipped in game two as Keiser (4-4) knocked off CIU 14-3.

GAME ONE: CIU 10 KU 7: Similar to their two games before, the Rams struck first as a sac-fly from Carter Willis scored Kody Trujillo to put the Rams up a run in the first inning. Then after two homers from the Seahawks, the Rams then found themselves deadlocked at 4-4 with the Keiser heading into the fifth inning. Robert Bell then stepped up for CIU with a two-run homerun to centerfield to put the Rams up 7-4. Keiser bounced back to tie the game at 7-7, heading into the ninth inning, but college veteran Ward Hacklen smacked his first homerun in a Rams uniform, putting CIU up 8-7. CIU excited the top of the ninth with a 10-7 advantage, and with Joshua Hernandez closing on the mound the Rams defense held for their first win of the season. 

GAME ONE BOX SCORE NOTES:

•  Kody Trujillo diced up the Keiser pitching staff, going 5-for-6 picking up a run and an RBI.
• Robert Bell picked up his second homerun of the series to go along with three RBI's. 
• Ward Hacklen has made an immediate impact since joining the Rams as the Newberry transfer helped CIU to the win, batting in two runs while crossing the plate twice himself. 
• Christian Orr received the win on the mound as the junior faced 23 batters, notching two K's. Joshua Hernandez received the save as the Columbia native struck out two of the five batters he faced. 

GAME TWO: KU 14 CIU 3: CIU was held scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when Joshua Hernandez notched a double and then scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 5-1. The Ram's next two runs came off the bat of Rodrigo Rodriguez, who recorded a two-RBI double in the fifth to bring the score to 7-3. Despite a spirited effort, the Rams gave up seven unanswered runs in the next two innings to fall 14-3. 

GAME TWO BOX SCORE NOTES: 

• Joshua Hernandez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and one of the Rams' three doubles.
• Sophomore Price Alexander stepped up for the Rams going 1-for-1 with a double.
• Rodrigo Rodriquez picked up a two-RBI double for CIU in two at-bats. 

What Coach Jonathan Johnson is saying:

"It was great to get another signature program win today against a top 10 opponent. We have a lot to clean up to become a top ten team. I believe we have the talent and desire. We will keep working and see where we end up in late April."

Up next:

The Rams will host Toccoa Falls College (Ga.)in their home-opening doubleheader on Tuesday, Feb. 8 with first pitch set for 2 PM.