Dominic Curole struck out 15 batters and helped himself offensively with a two-run homer as Salem University defeated Kentucky State University 8-5 in game two of a baseball doubleheader Sunday at Frankfort, Ky. Curole hit three home runs in four games over the weekend.
 
Kentucky State won the opener 13-4. Curole also homered in game one as Salem posted a 2-2 mark over the weekend, The Tigers defeated Cedarville University Saturday in addition to taking the final game of their three-game series against Kentucky State.
 
Salem (2-7) broke open a 1-0 game in the nightcap with a four-run sixth inning in the scheduled seven-inning game. The Tigers loaded the bases with nobody out as Tyler Ault led off with a single, Tyler D'Allesandro was hit by a pitch and Austin Whetzel walked. After Ault scored on a wild pitch and D'Allesandro came home on Dalton Robison's sacrifice fly, Curole capped the inning with a two-run homer to extend Salem's lead to 5-0.
 
Kentucky State (8-3) broke up Curole's shutout bid with three runs – two unearned –  without benefit of a hit in the bottom of the sixth. Salem answered with three runs of its own in the top of the seventh to make it an 8-3 game. The Tigers were aided by two wild pitches and an error.
 
Curole (1-1), who took a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning, recorded his 15th strikeout in the bottom of the seventh, but came out after allowing a two-run double. After a walk brought the tying run to the plate, Jason Gomez took over on the mound. Gomez ended the game with a strikeout and a foul out to earn his first save of the season.
 
In the opener, Salem avoided a shutout with two runs in each of the final two innings. Whetzel drew a two-out walk in the top of the sixth and Curole homered to right to put the Tigers on the scoreboard.
 
Kasey Buchanan led off the seventh with a double and Damon Wheeler drew a one-out walk. After Andrew Paradise walked to load the bases, Buchanan and Wheeler came home on Tyler D'Allesandro's two-out double to right.
 
Salem travels to Elizabeth City, N.C., for a four-game series against Mid-Atlantic Christian University. The Tigers sandwich single games Friday and Sunday around a doubleheader Saturday.