COLUMBIA, S.C. - CIU baseball returned home Tuesday afternoon and delivered its most explosive offensive performance of the season, defeating Voorhees University 23-4. The Rams scored in five of six innings, highlighted by a 12-run fourth inning, to secure the dominant nonconference victory.

CIU 23 VU 4: CIU set the tone early, plating six runs in the first inning. Corbin Wright jumpstarted the surge with a two-run double to left center, and Aaron Guthrie followed with a two-RBI single as the Rams capitalized on early walks and defensive miscues. The offense continued to apply pressure in the second, adding three more runs to extend the lead to 9-0.

After Voorhees scratched across single runs in the third and fourth, CIU responded with its biggest inning of the year. The Rams sent 17 batters to the plate in the fourth, collecting seven hits and taking advantage of multiple errors to score 12 runs. Kai Smith delivered a two-RBI single, Jennings Greene and Aiden Pomnitz each added RBI knocks, and Wright capped the inning with his second double of the game. CIU added one more run in the fifth to finish the scoring and secure the 23-4 win. 

Wright finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI, while Smith went 2-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored. Ian D'Amico added a 3-for-3 performance with a double and an RBI, and Pomnitz tallied two hits and two RBIs as CIU totaled 16 hits on the afternoon.

On the mound, Matthew Garris earned the win in relief as part of a five-pitcher effort. The Rams limited Voorhees to just three hits while striking out eight. Starter Gabriel Rottier allowed two unearned runs over 3.1 innings before turning it over to the bullpen to close out the victory.

Up Next: The Rams return to Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play and host Bryan College (Tenn.) on Friday, Feb. 27, with the first pitch slated for 5 P.M. EST.