DUBOIS, Pennsylvania - After a dominant victory last night, the Salem Baseball team did not have a long respite ahead of thor next contest in the USCAA Small College World Series. They matched up with the Centurions of Bucks County in the second round of the tournament, and while Salem showed off their offensive prowess by scoring 11 runs, they fell in the final inning 12-11. 

Salem got off to a great start with a leadoff home run from Luis Angarita to start off the game. Buck County battled back, but Salem kept it close with a flurry of runs in the second and third innings. That rally was driven by the simple RBI base hit as Nathan Kuhn contributed one in the second, and Jose Lojo and Angarita each added another in the 3rd. However, the Centurions kept a tight grasp on the lead with a big bottom of the third to make it 9-5. Salem found another rally in the 6th. Kaiden Zacharias got things started with a 2 run home run, then Aaron Forbes singled to bring in another run. The Tigers batted around the order in the 6th, and it would be Zacharias who pushed the Salem run total up to 11 with a 3 RBI double. However, a furious Centurion rally in the bottom of the 6th tied the game at 11, and Bucks County found the walk off run in the 7th to end the game at 12-11. On the mound for the Tigers, starter Sam Schmitt, and relievers Travis Lavendier  and Tyler Sammons combined for 5 strikeouts in the contest. 

While a loss in tournament play is always tough, the Tigers have been in this situation before as an early loss to Virginia State preceded 4 straight wins to take the NSAC title just 9 days ago. Salem will now have to battle back into contention for the USCAA title from the loser's bracket of the double elimination tournament. They will face off with the winner of NSAC foe Mid-Atlantic Christian and Atlantis at 12:15 PM on Wednesday May 17th in Dubois, PA.