AUGUSTA, Ga. (Baseball) – The Paine College Lions opened their series against Albany State University Golden Rams on Sunday afternoon. The Lions were able to win the first game with a score of 7-3.
Paine moves to 19-11, overall, and 8-1 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Albany State drops to 7-26, overall, and 5-2 in league play.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Golden Rams were able to get on the board with a run. Trevor Billings was able to come home on a fielder's choice, 1-0. Billings doubled to reach second base.
In the top of the fifth inning, Paine earned a run when
Ricky Caruajal hit a home run over the left field wall, 1-1.
The Lions broke the game wide open in the top of the sixth inning by scoring four runs. The first run came in when
Brad Doebler scored on a passed ball, 2-1. Doebler singled to reach first base and advanced to third on a bunt.
Jalen Horton scored the third run when
Adam Martin singled into right field, 3-1. Horton hit a bunt single to reach first base and advance to third on a bunt. The fourth run was scored when
Jahziel Morel hit a sacrifice fly to drive
Kendrick Elder in, 4-1. Elder bunted to reach first base, advanced to second on a throw, and advanced to third when Martin singled.
Fentress Henderson was the fifth run of the inning as he came home when Caruajal singled, 5-1. Henderson walked to reach first base, advanced to second base on Martin's single, and advance to third when Morel hit a sacrifice fly.
Paine added another run in the top of the seventh inning. Horton scored when Elder singled, 6-1. Horton reached first base on a fielder's choice and stole second base.
Albany State attempted to rally in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Golden Rams picked up a run when Kelvin Wimbish was driven in by Jonatan Galan, 6-2. Wimbish singled to reach first base and advanced to third on a single by Quantico Dodson-Williams.
The Lions scored the team's final run in the top of the ninth inning.
Jordan Deadwyler was driven in by Doebler, 7-2. Deadwyler singled to reach first base and stole second base.
The Golden Ram last run came in the bottom of the ninth inning, 7-3.
Evan Krenz picked up the win for the Lions and finished the game with 10 hits, three runs, two walks and seven strikeouts.
Zach Rader faced the last batter in the ninth inning and earned the save with no hits, no runs, no walks and one strikeout.
John Paul Barnard took the loss on the mound for the Albany State. With five inning pitched, he finished the game with six hits, five runs, one walk and one strikeout.
The Lions will play the doubleheader of the series on Monday beginning at noon.
