SPARTANBURG, S.C. — CIU baseball dropped both games of an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader to Spartanburg Methodist on Thursday, falling 12-11 in a back-and-forth opener before dropping game two, 4-2.
Game One: Spartanburg Methodist 12, CIU 11: The opener turned into an offensive battle, with the Rams rallying late but coming up just short.
Spartanburg Methodist built an early 5-0 lead through two innings before CIU chipped away. The Rams plated a run in the fifth on an RBI single from David Mora and added two more in the sixth, highlighted by an RBI knock from Corbin Wright and a run scoring on a defensive miscue to cut the deficit to 5-3.
The Pioneers responded with a seven-run sixth inning to stretch the lead to 12-3. CIU refused to go away, erupting for six runs in the eighth inning. Eli Musgraves delivered a two-run single, while Chance Weathersbee and Jennings Greene each drove in runs as the Rams pulled within three.
The rally continued in the ninth as Musgraves and Hunter Cheslak each drove in runs to trim the deficit to one, but CIU was unable to complete the comeback.
Musgraves led the Rams with three RBIs, while Maddux Smith finished with three hits. Wright and Greene each added multi-hit performances.
Game Two: Spartanburg Methodist 4, CIU 2: CIU struck first in the second inning when Eli Musgraves singled home Ian D'Amico to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
Spartanburg Methodist answered with a run in the second before taking control with a three-run third inning to build a 4-1 advantage. The Rams cut into the deficit in the fifth when Kai Smith delivered an RBI single to score D'Amico, but CIU could not find another breakthrough at the plate.
Smith led the Rams with three hits, while D'Amico added a double and scored twice. Musgraves drove in a run as part of CIU's six-hit effort.
On the mound, JT Stanley took the loss, allowing four runs over 2.2 innings, while Miller Stuck provided 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Up Next: CIU will face Spartanburg Methodist on the road in the final game of the series on Saturday, April 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
