Box Score JACKSON, Tenn. (Feb. 25, 2018) – Patience at the plate paid off for the Salem University Tigers baseball team, opening its three-game series with the Lane College Dragons with an 18-12 victory.
Salem's offensive explosion was a result of nine hits scattered around 10 walks, waiting for the perfect pitch to power three home runs.
The Dragons struck quickly, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning on two hits; getting back-to-back RBI doubles from Chris O'Neal and Christian Armstrong.
Josh LaPrest answered for the Tigers with a solo home run in the second inning and Salem tied the game at 3-3 with a two-RBI double from
Dylan Frawley, scoring LaPrest and
Jimmy Cramer in the fourth inning.
Salem's defense struggled in the fifth inning, committing four errors, giving up three unearned runs in a five-run inning.
In the sixth inning, Salem got the most out of two hits, scoring six runs.
Dillon Champagne led the inning off with a walk, then moved into scoring position on a groundout by LaPrest, before scoring on a RBI single to left field from
Dalton Robison.
After three consecutive walks scored a run and loaded the bases,
Noah Suarez hit a towering grand slam over the left field fence to give Salem a 9-8 lead.
Salem added eight more runs on three hits and an error in the seventh inning, going through the entire batting order, punctuated by a three-run homerun by Cramer, scoring Suarez and Thirius Jones.
After the Tigers added an unearned run in the ninth, the Dragons put together four runs in the bottom of the inning, getting three runs on back-to-back homeruns from Keishaun Clark and Chris O'Neal, and another unearned off a Joe Ballard RBI single after Armstrong reached on an error.
Suarez led Salem with five RBIs, batting 1-for-4 with two runs. Cramer was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. LaPrest was 1-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Frawley was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Brendan Case (1-2) pitched a complete game, giving up seven earned runs, walking four and striking out 16 to get his first win of the season.
With the win, Salem improves to 2-3-1 on the season. The Tigers will conclude their series against Lane College on Monday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
