HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (Feb. 7) – The Tigers opened 2016 with a pair of close losses to Barton, falling by scores of 6-4 and 2-1 Saturday night.
The Salem International University baseball team (0-2) allowed just two earned runs in the team's 6-4 loss to the Bulldogs (3-1), but four errors resulted in four costly unearned runs.
Barton was up 5-0 before the Tigers broke through with its first run of the season. Senior
Rahul Badve (Mississauga, Ontario/Woodlands Secondary) singled and advance to second, before junior
Trent Dalton (Logan, W.Va./Logan) drove him in with a single up the middle.
The Bulldogs got the run back in the sixth on a two-out triple, before the Tigers took advantage of a throwing error with two outs to plate two runs and narrow the gap to 6-3 after seven innings.
Salem International added another run in the eighth and had the go-ahead run at the plate, but could not break through. The Tigers went down in order in the ninth to complete the season-opening loss.
Sophomore
Kevin Ortiz (Orlando, Fla./Cypress Creek) took the loss after allowing five runs (one earned) on seven hits over 3.0 innings. Junior
Talon Kunkel (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Centennial Collegiate) turned in an impressive debut in relief. He went the final five innings and allowed one run on two hits with five strikeouts.
The Tigers were led at the plate by Drago, who finished with three hits and an RBI, while Badve added two hits and a run scored in the loss.
Salem International jumped out in front in the nightcap, but did not plate anymore runs in a 2-1 loss.
In the third inning, Dalton attempted to steal third and an errant throw by the Barton catcher allowed him to advance and score to put the Tigers on top. The Bulldogs manufactured a run in the bottom half of the frame. Barton earned a two-out walk, a steal of second and a single to even the score.
Barton took advantage of a two-out error to score the eventual winning-run in the fifth inning. The Bulldogs loaded the bases and drove in a run on an infield single to take a 2-1 lead. The Tiger offense was unable to respond and was set down in order in each of the final three innings of the game.
Senior
Zack Skipper (Las Vegas, Nev./Faith Lutheran) had a solid debut with the Tigers. He allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work in the loss.
The two teams were set to play a third game on Sunday, but the game was cancelled due to poor weather in the area.
The Tigers head back down south to Due West, South Carolina on Friday, Feb. 12 to take on Erskine for a three-game series. The two teams will begin with a single nine inning game at 12 p.m.
