COLUMBIA, S.C.  - After weather delays for most of the first two days of the NCCAA South Region Tournament, CIU baseball took the field for the first time Tuesday evening to take on Toccoa Falls College. The Rams entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed, so despite being on their home field, they were the away team against the No. 4 seed Screaming Eagles. CIU holds the all-time record against Toccoa with a 9-5 record. The Rams used extra innings to get past Toccoa 3-2 in the tournament's first round. 

CIU 3 TFC 2: The Rams threatened to score with bases loaded in the second but came out scoreless. Toccoa Falls scratched first with a run in the bottom of the frame, which CIU matched off an RBI single from Graham Peeler. Toccoa took the lead with a home run in the bottom of the fifth, but the lead was short-lived as Shane Hammonds blasted a solo shot to tie the game once again. Both teams went scoreless in the seventh to force extra innings. A walk to Jennings Greene with the bases loaded would put CIU up front 3-2. Collin Otte struck out three batters in the bottom of the frame to secure the win for the Rams. 

Box Score Highlights: 

• Peeler, Hammonds, and Jennings combined for three RBI in the contest. 
• Darius Hatchette-Dunn allowed four hits and two runs while striking out five in 6.0 innings. 
• Otte recorded six strikeouts in 2.0 innings while allowing one hit.