FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. – The Salem University baseball team dropped its season-opener on the road against Emmanuel 8-4, on a sunny Friday afternoon.
 
Salem drops to 0-1 to start the year, while Emmanuel improves to 1-0.
 
Salem generated four runs on nine hits with eight runners left on base, while Emmanuel notched eight runs on eight hits and seven runners left on base.  
 
Senior Thirus Jones finished the game with two hits in three at-bats with one run scored, while sophomore Remmington Boyce capped-off his day with two hits, one RBI and one run scored in three at-bats. Junior Tyler Ault finished up with one hit, one run and one RBI.
 
Junior Carson Ellis started the day off for the Tigers as he had two innings pitched with one hit allowed and two earned runs.
 
Sophomore Carlos Pena came into the game for relief as he recorded four innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs and struck out three batters. Sophomore Kyle Sears finished the game with one earned run and two hits allowed, with two strikeouts.
 
Salem got on the board first as freshman Kobie Carpenter hit to single to center, bringing Jones across the plate for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. In the next at-bat, Boyce doubled to right field as junior Dalton Robinson crossed the plate for a 2-0 Tiger lead.
 
The Tigers posted five hits in the second inning.
 
Emmanuel came roaring back in the bottom of the third, as it scored four runs off two hits and one Salem error, leading the Tiger 4-2.
 
The Tigers added a run in the third inning as Ault doubled to left field, bringing home Boyce to cut Emmanuel's lead to 4-3.
 
Emmanuel extended its lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the sixth, while they added a run in the bottom of the eighth for an 8-3 lead.

Ault scored on a passed ball in the top of the ninth inning to cut Emmanuel's lead to 8-4, but this is as close as the Tigers came.
 
The Tigers resume play tomorrow as they face Emmanuel at 4:00 p.m.