ORANGEBURG, S.C. (Baseball) – The Paine College Lions baseball team traveled to Orangeburg, S.C. for a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series against Claflin University for the No. 1 spot in the East. Paine was able to snap up a win in game one, 12-4, but dropped game two, 10-5.

With this split, Paine moves to 20-15, overall, and 9-4 in SIAC play. Claflin's overall record is now 16-23 and the Panthers are 9-5 in league play.

In game one, the Lions scored five runs in the top of the first inning. The first run was scored by Fentress Henderson when he singled to drive in Kendrick Elder, 1-0. Elder singled to reach first base and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. The next four runs came when Ricky Caruajal hit a grand slam to score himself, Henderson, Jahziel Morel, and Adam Martin, 5-0.

Paine scored one run in the top of the second and third inning. Brad Doebler was able to cross home plate on a wild pitch, 6-0. Doebler walked to reach first base, stole second base, and advanced to third on ground ball. Caruajal scored the Lion's lone run in the third inning when Jordan Deadwyler hit a single, 7-0. Caruajal was hit by a pitch to reach first base and advanced to second base on a sacrifice ground ball.

Claflin got on the board in the bottom of the third inning with one run. Clyde Parker came across home plate on a Lion's error, 7-1. Parker singled to reach first base, stole second base, and advanced to third base on single.

In the top of the fifth inning, Paine capitalized off of the Panther's errors and scored four runs. Morel came home after a balk, 8-1. Morel reached first base on an error, advanced to second base on a passed ball, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Brisco Johnson hit a double to drive in Caruajal, 8-1. Caruajal walked to reach first base, stole second base, and advanced to third base on a balk. Johnson and Doebler were able to score on an error by
Claflin, 11-1. Johnson hit a double to reach second base and advanced to third on an error. Doebler reached first base on an error and stole second base.

The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Rashad Bivins hit a home run to score himself and Reginald Rogers, 11-3. Rogers reached first base on a fielder's choice.

Morel hit a double in the top of the sixth inning to drive in Adam Martin, 12-3, and score Paine's last run. Martin doubled to reach second base.

Claflin's last run came in when Rogers was driven in Christopher Gilliam hit a single, 12-4. Rogers singled to reach first base and advanced to second base on single.

Evan Krenz picked up the win for the Lions. Krenz pitched a complete game for 10 hits, four runs, three walks and seven strikeouts.

Lyndale Morley suffered the loss for Claflin. He pitched one inning for four hits, five runs, one walk and one strikeout.

In game two, Claflin struck fast in the bottom of the first inning. Jeturi Brown came home when Bivins hit a single, 1-0. Brown reached first on a fielder's choice and stole second base.

The Lions answered back with a run in the top of the second inning. Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to score Jordan Deadwyler, 1-1. Deadwyler doubled to reach second base and advanced to third base.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Panthers scored one run. Jesse Minter scored on an error, 2-1. Minter doubled to reach second base.

Paine scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Johnson was able to score when Doebler hit a sacrifice ground ball, 2-2. Johnson reached walked to reach first base and advanced to third when Gabriel Guzman hit a double. Kendrick Elder scored the third run when he hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Guzman, 3-2. Guzman doubled to reach second base and advanced to third base on a sacrifice ground ball.

The Panthers took control of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with five runs, 7-3.

The Lions rallied back to scored two runs in the sixth inning. Guzman came across home plate when Elder hit a single, 7-4. Guzman singled to reach first base and advanced to second base when Doebler was walked. Doebler scored on an error, 7-5. He walked to reach first base and advanced to second base when Elder hit a single.

Claflin scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to seal the game, 10-5.

Juan Berger took the loss on the mound for Paine with five innings pitched. Berger finished the night with nine hits, nine runs, three walks, and six strikeouts.

Keamond Eison picks up the win for the Panthers with four innings pitched.  Eison pitched for four hits, three runs, five walks, and four strikeouts.

Paine will close out the series against the Panthers on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.