TIGERVILLE, S.C. (Feb. 20) – Behind a two-hit shutout by junior Talon Kunkel (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Centennial Collegiate), the Tigers took one of three from North Greenville in non-conference play on Friday and Saturday afternoons at Ashmore Field.
 
The Salem International University baseball team improves to 1-7 overall, while the Crusaders move to 4-6 this season.
 
Kunkel (1-1) tossed a gem in the 2-0 win in the first game of Saturday's twinbill. The Saskatchewan native threw a complete-game two-hit shutout with two strikeouts, while yielding one walk over seven innings to earn his first win as in a Salem International uniform.
 
The Tigers tallied two runs in the third inning behind RBI singles by junior outfielders Tanner Helms (Lake Charles, La./Sam Houston) and Matthew Flores (King City, Calif./King City), which was more than enough support for Kunkel.
 
Salem International had an opportunity to sweep North Greenville on Saturday, but stranded the go-ahead run on base in the eighth inning in a 10-8 loss.
 
The Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning behind a RBI single by senior first baseman Rahul Badve (Mississauga, Ontario/Woodlands Secondary) and a two-RBI single by senior third baseman Santino Alteri (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Central).
 
The Crusaders pulled ahead with a six-run fourth inning to take a 8-3 lead, but the Tigers battled back. Salem International plated four runs in the fifth, including another RBI single by Badve to trim the deficit to 8-7 with four innings remaining.
 
North Greenville added two runs in the seventh before the Tigers made their best efforts to even the score. Junior Adam Reece (Stratford, Ontario/Stratford Northwestern) delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth inning to pull within two runs, 10-8, and Salem International loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the threat. Salem International was retired in order in the ninth to end the game.
 
Senior Zack Skipper (Las Vegas, Nev./Faith Lutheran) took the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits with two strikeouts over 4.0 innings on the mound. Badve and Alteri each finished with two hits and two RBI, apiece, to lead the Tigers at the plate.
 
Salem International opened play with North Greenville on Friday with an 8-1 loss.
 
Senior Colton Lankford (Rowlett, Texas/Rowlett) took the loss after surrendering eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts over 4.1 innings of work.
 
The Tigers return to the diamond on Saturday, Feb. 27 when they head to Hickory, North Carolina to take on Lenoir-Rhyne for the first two games of a three game series.