Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LAURINBURG, N.C. - Following their first Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) series win of the season, CIU hit the road to take on St. Andrews University (N.C.), who is currently ranked sixth in the AAC. The Rams fell 0-2 in the series after the Knights outscored them 25-15 between both games. 

GAME ONE: CIU 9 SAU 12: CIU jumped on the board in the first inning thanks to a solo shot from Brandt Miller and then added two more in the second from a 2 RBI single from Joshua Hernandez. Thanks to stellar pitching from Justin Parish and clean defense, St. Andrews didn't get a runner past first base until the fourth inning, when they tied the game up. The Knights took the lead in the fifth after two hits, a walk, and an error (4-3), but the Rams responded quickly and added two more in the sixth off of a single from Rafael Gonzales and a sac fly from Hernandez to regain control of the game. CIU extended their lead by four (8-4) in the eighth after a sac fly from Britton Morris and a 2 RBI single from Carter Willis. Despite this lead, St. Andrews was able to tack on eight runs in the bottom of the inning to lead by four. Miller cut their lead to three with his second solo homer of the game, but CIU could not push anymore across to take game one of the series. 

Box Score Highlights: 

• Miller had a lights-out performance at the plate, going 5-for-6 with two solo home runs. Miller is the first Ram this season to collect five hits in a single game. 
• Hernandez was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two walks and three RBIs. Gonzalez also notched three hits today. 
• Parish started on the rubber, going six innings with six strikeouts and two earned runs. 

GAME TWO: CIU 6 SAU 13: Both teams went scoreless in the first, but CIU took the lead in the second with a three-run homer from Price Alexander. The Knights responded with three of their own in the bottom of the inning and then gained control of the contest after three more in the third and one in the fourth (7-3). CIU threatened to push a couple more across in the fifth after a leadoff single from Morris and a walk to Austin Paradise, but St. Andrew's defense got them out of the inning. Another clutch hit from Miller scored two Rams in the sixth, but the Knights responded with six runs in the bottom of the inning, and a diving play from Willis would save two more runs from scoring. CIU did not go down without a fight in the top of the seventh as they scored one but ended the game with bases loaded. 

Box Score Highlights: 

• James Lovera, Morris, and Willis led the Rams with two hits apiece, and five others collected one. 
• Alexander hit his fourth home run of the season and is currently leading CIU with a 17-game reach-based streak. 

Up Next:  CIU returns to North Carolina to play game three of the series against the Knights tomorrow, Saturday, April 1st—game time TBD due to weather.