FAIRMONT, W. Va. (April 6, 2018) — Hanging curve balls turned into soaring home runs for the Salem University Tigers, who defeated the University of Lincoln Pennsylvania Lions in both games of a doubleheader. 

Game 1 — Salem 28, Lincoln 12

In the bottom of the third inning, Dillon Champagne stepped to the plate with bases loaded. His bat held high, the pitch hung low, and Champagne sent a blistering shot over the left field fence for a grand slam home run to give Salem a 21-4 lead. 

Champagne put together a dominant performance on his birthday, hitting 2-for-2 with the grand slam and three runs scored; along with a walk and a hit by pitch. 

Salem put together its most dominant offensive performance in the school's NCAA Division II history, scoring 28 runs on 20 hits with a season-high seven home runs. The 28 runs are the third most scored in a game in Division II this season. 

The seven home runs are the second most in a Division II game this season. 

Salem struck early. Or, rather, were struck early as Salem green turned into black and blue, taking pitches in the back and on the arm in a four-run inning in which five Tigers were hit by a pitch. 

For the game, Salem reached nine times as a result of being hit by a pitch, tying the season-high for Division II baseball. 

The Tigers put together an 11-run second inning, tying the Division II record for most grand slams in an inning with Dylan Frawley and Josh LaPrest each clearing the bases with towering home runs. Najay King also hit a two-run blast in the inning. 

In the third inning, Tyler Ault hit his first home run of the season with a two-run shot, Champagne hit his grand slam, and Dalton Robison hit a solo home run to left field for a seven-run inning. 

With the wind lifting the ball, Lincoln managed some fireworks too; getting a grand slam from Rheubottom in the third inning and another two-run home run in the fourth. Martinez also hit a three-run home run in the fourth, followed by a Rorer two-RBI triple. 

Nick Taylor knocked in the Tigers' last two runs of the game with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

Albert Cartenuto started for Salem, pitching four innings and giving up nine hits and 11 runs (10 earned) to pick up his first win of the season. 

Eight different Tigers finished with at least two hits while LaPrest and Frawley each had five home runs. Tyler Ault was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, three stolen bases and four runs scored. King finished 1-for-2 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Game 2 — Salem 8, Lincoln 7

Clinging to a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, Head Coach Addison Rouse turned to starter Brendan Case to pitch in relief. 

Case faced three batters, mixing up pitches and locations to leave the Lions' hitters befuddled—catching the first two looking and sending one past the final batter's violent swing to give Salem an 8-7 win. 

The game was took a markedly different tone from the first with Salem going scoreless through the first three innings.

Without the same power—no Tigers' batter had more than one hit—Salem worked to manufacture runs, capitalizing on passed balls and any throwing miscues to get into scoring position for timely hits. 

Champagne came through once against with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Salem its first lead at 7-6. Dillon was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Noah Suarez was 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. 

Andrew Lett started for the Tigers, pitching four innings and giving up four runs on five hits with two walks. Jordan Wagner took over in the fifth, giving up two runs with a strikeout. 

Cole Standifer pitched the sixth inning, giving up a run wand striking out two while picking up the win. Case started the bottom of the seventh inning, striking out all three hitters he faced. 

With the wins, Salem improves to 15-9-1. The next scheduled game is April 10 against California (Pa.) on April 10 at 1 p.m.