NUTTER FORT, WV - On a night where Salem International University honored six seniors for their commitment to the program, the Tigers completed their 2017 season by earning a pair of wins against Bluefield State College. SIU used a four-run third inning in game one en route to a 5-3 victory and followed it up by scoring 10 runs in game two as part of a 10-4 win.

Senior second baseman Trent Dalton finished his Tigers' career by going 4-for-6 with two doubles and three runs scored between the two games. Senior center fielder Matt Flores tallied three hits on the day and was responsible for driving in two runs. Sophomore Jimmy Cramer continued his hot-play by going 5-for-6 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Cramer raised his batting average to .381 on the season with the five-hit performance.

In game one, it would be the visiting Blues that got to SIU senior starter Able Hernandez. Bluefield State plated a pair of runs against Hernandez in the top of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. SIU would respond right-away, scoring a run in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit in half. Freshman Tyler Ault started things off with a single into left center and advancing to second on the throw by the left fielder. After moving over to third on a groundout by Cramer, Ault would score easily on a single through the left side from Flores.

The Tigers flexed their offensive muscle in the bottom of the third inning against the Blues. SIU tallied five hits in the frame and plated four runs to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead. Dalton jump-started the inning by lacing a double down the left field line. Two batters later it would be Cramer that knotted the score with his run-scoring single to right center. A hit-and-run play with Flores at the plate moved Cramer up to third base and put Flores on first. A failed pick-off attempt would hurt the Blues as the ball got away from the first baseman and allowed Cramer to trot home from third to make it 3-2 SIU.

Senior Sean Deviney then gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead with his sacrifice fly to left field. Sophomore Ethan Turner capped the scoring in the frame for the Tigers by delivering a single up the middle to score senior Donato Gallano and make it 5-2. The three-run lead for the Tigers would hold until the top of the sixth inning. Bluefield State left fielder Logan Wriston took Hernandez deep to left center with two outs in the frame to trim gap to 5-3.

Hernandez shut the door on the Blues in the top of the seventh inning, recording his fifth complete game of the season for the Tigers. Hernandez allowed the three runs on nine hits and fanned five batters in the process. Bluefield starter Tanner Muovich was dealt with the loss after yielding five runs on 10 hits through six innings of work. Muovich fanned four batters and walked one for the Blues.

Game two featured a pitchers-duel between SIU senior Josh VanMeter and Bluefield State's Brandon Wortkoetter. Both starter's worked through the first-four innings without allowing a run. VanMeter navigated his way through the top of the fifth inning without yielding a run. Wortkoetter wouldn't be so lucky, as SIU scored three-times in the frame to take a 3-0 lead. Ault made it 2-0 with his bases-clearing triple to left field and would later score on an RBI single through the left side from Cramer.

Cramer knocked Wortkoetter out of the game with one-out in the bottom of the sixth inning as his double to left center plated all-three SIU base-runners to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead. The Tigers wouldn't stop there, scoring four additional runs to stretch their lead to 10-0. SIU recorded seven runs in the frame on six hits and looked to add more before seeing the inning come to an end with the bases loaded.

VanMeter made his way to the mound for the Tigers with a 10-run cushion to start the seventh inning. The Blues would mount a rally against SIU in the frame as they plated four runs on two hits. The Tigers would aid the Blues by recording three errors in the frame that kick-started the mini-comeback. With a runner on base and two outs, Dalton saw a line-drive come his way that he would hold onto and give the Tigers a 10-4 victory and a twin bill sweep of Bluefield State.

VanMeter recorded his first win in a Tiger uniform in what would be his final collegiate start for SIU. He yielded four runs, all-unearned, on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk through seven innings. Ault finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs in the lead-off spot for the Tigers.