COLUMBIA - CIU baseball concluded their Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opening series with Pikeville University (7-3, 2-1 AAC) on Friday afternoon, facing the Bears in a doubleheader. The Rams (6-6, 1-2 AAC) came up short in the first game of the day, 6-2, and then took the series finale, 4-1.
Game Two: UPike 6 CIU 2: It was all Bears early as CIU faced a 1-0 deficit through 2 1/2 innings. Graham Peeler was a bright spot for the Rams in the bottom of the third recording a single. However, the Rams found themselves in a 6-0 hole in the bottom of the seventh. CIU turned to transfer senior Maurice Gomez, who notched a 2-RBI double to trim the Bear's advantage to just four runs. However, CIU could not capitalize on the two-run spurt, leaving two runners stranded in the final two innings.
Box Score Highlights:
- Jordan Fricks tallied a hit in his only at-bat.
- Colton Lopez continued a strong series with a double in his only hit of the game.
- Miller Stuck showed promise on the mound for CIU, pitching two innings of relief and posting three K's while yielding a hit and no runs.
Game Three: CIU 4 UPike 1: Pitching was the story of the afternoon in the series' final game. Drake Thames started on the mound and tossed a no-hitter through three innings. CIU's only hit of the game came from Tre Williams, who put the Rams up on an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning. The Rams would add three more runs off miscues from the Bears in the bottom of the second, and the Ram's pitching staff held Pikeville in check for the final five innings, allowing just two hits in game three.
Box Score Highlights:
- Pikeville's only run came off a sac fly as Thames (W) allowed just one hit and recorded six strikeouts in five innings of work.
- Collin Otte closed the game on the mound for the Rams, giving up a single hit while posting two strikeouts.
- Williams recorded his eleventh consecutive game with a hit.
Up Next: CIU travels to Morris College (S.C.) on Tuesday, Feb. 18, for a doubleheader slated for 3:00 p.m. ET in Sumter.
