COLUMBIA - CIU baseball swept Kentucky Chrisitan University in a series-opening doubleheader on Wednesday as the Rams took down the Knights 17-7 in game one and 16-1 in game two. CIU has now won three straight Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) series. The Rams are 27-17 overall and 13-13 in the AAC. The Rams are three wins away from tying their record for conference wins from 2021 with 16 victories.
Game One: CIU 17 KCU 7: Leadoff man Daniel Sidoti homored to open the game at the first CIU, foreshadowing a plethora of scoring to come. Two RBI singles from Mason Turner and Colton Lopez put the Rams up 5-0 at the end of the first as CIU continued to grow their advantage. Miscues and hits from both teams added runs throughout the contest as the Rams entered the bottom of the eighth up 11-7. An RBI double from Turner, a two-RBI single from Kai Smith, and five walks highlighted the bottom iof the nning as the Rams scored six runs to end the game in a run-rule.
Box Score Highlights:
- Lopez stood out for CIU offensively going 3-for-3 with two RBI.
- Sidoti, Turner, and Smith each recorded three RBI.
- Matthew Garris recorded the start and picked up the win, giving up two hits and an earned run in four innings.
Game Two: CIU 16 KCU 1: The Rams had balanced scoring across innings two through six CIU. The rout was on from the second inning. Michael Meilinger was superb on the mound, keeping the Knights hitless through three innings. The Rams went up by double digits in the bottom of the fourth as a Smith sac-fly put CIU ahead 10-0. The Rams held the Knights scoreless through five innings, but KCU added one run before CIU put their opponent out of their misery 16-1 in the seven-inning game.
Box Score Highlights:
- Sidoti went 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Smith went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
- Maurice Gomez knocked in three RBI, while Graham Peeler, Turner, and Bradley Garland all had two.
- CIU recorded 15 hits on 31 at-bats.
- Meilinger picked up the win, going six innings with seven strikeouts, giving up just three hits and one earned run.
Up Next: The Rams will conclude their series on Senior Day with a noon single game versus KCU tomorrow, Thursday, April 17. Seniors will be recognized following the game.Â