NUTTER FORT, W.Va. – The Salem University baseball team cruised to two wins against Central Penn as it downed Central Penn in game one 18-5 and 5-2 in the second game, Saturday afternoon.
 
With the wins, Salem improves to 20-14 surpassing last years win total (19) in just 34 games.
 
In game one, Ben Mack (1-1) started on the hill and earned his first win of the season as he tossed five strikeouts and allowed four runs in five innings.
 
Sophomore Tyler D'Alessandro was 3-for-3 with three RBI, while senior Jimmy Cramer and senior Harrison Hollis were each 2-for-4 as Cramer posted two RBI and Hollis notched four.
 
Salem tallied the first run of the afternoon as junior Walker Dodero singled to right field as junior Tyler Ault scored from second base for a 1-0 lead. In the next at-bat, Cramer singled through the left side to score junior Dalton Robison for a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.
 
D'Alessandro singled through the right slide to bring home Dodero and Cramer for a 4-0 lead.  D'Alessandro scored off a balk for a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the third, Hollis teed off for a grand slam to left field for a 9-2 advantaged.  Three batters later, Dodero hit a sacrifice fly to left field for a 10-2 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, senior Isaiah Arroyo singled to left field as sophomore Austin Whetzel and D'Alessandro crossed home for a 12-2 advantage. The Tigers added six more runs in the inning to extend the lead to 18-2.
 
In game two, freshman Mauricio Hernandez (1-0) collected his first collegiate win in the start as he tallied three strikeouts and allowed just four hits and two earned runs in four and two-thirds innings pitched.
 
Dodero led the way offensively as he was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and a home run, while D'Alessandro was 1-for-2 with three base-on-balls while two were intentional walks.
 
Salem again scored the first run as D'Alessandro crossed home off a balk for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Dodero singled through the right side to bring home senior Thirus Jones for a 2-0 advantage. In the same inning freshman, Mike Belka singled up the middle to score Dodero for a 3-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the second, Robison hit a sacrifice fly to center field as D'Alessandro crossed the plate for a 4-0 lead.
 
In the next at-bat, Dodero tattooed a ball to right center for a solo home run to extend the lead to 5-0.
 
The Tigers host Central Penn in the final game of the series tomorrow with a noon start at Frank Loria Memorial Field.