Orangeburg, S.C. -- Claflin University and Benedict College spilt a pair of Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Eastern Divisional baseball games Saturday at Historic Mirmow Field.
Claflin won the second game of the doubleheader 6-5 while Benedict claimed the opener 9-7 in nine innings.
Claflin improved to 13-29 overall and 7-10 in the division. Benedict is now 22-12 and 11-6 in divisional play.
In the Panthers win, Elliott Melton delivered a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to bring home Reginald Rogers. The contest was tied at 5-5 until Melton a hit the fly ball to centerfield off Cheyenne Lopez. Melton had two hits and two RBIs in the game.
The Panthers broke a 3-3 tie in the fifth off a RBI double from Melton for a 4-3 lead. The margin was pushed to 5-3 in the sixth inning off a solo home run from Darrell Langston. He finished the game with two hits.
The Tigers rallied for two runs in its half of the seventh, tying the contest at 5-5.
Johnny Stevenson contributed two hits, two runs, and an RBI.
Claflin also had four stolen bases in the game.
Benedict was led by Armanda Valentin with a hit and two RBIs. Reinaldo Santiago added two hits and an RBI for the Tigers.
Gabriel Delgado, 1-0, picked up the win in relief for the Panthers, while Cheyenne Lopez, 4-4, suffered the loss for the Tigers.
In The first game, Santiago two-run single in the top of the ninth inning lifted Benedict to the win. Santiago hit came off Panther loser Dillon Parker, 0-2, who started the ninth inning.
Lopez, 4-3, was the winning pitcher for the Tigers.
Claflin held the lead just once at 7-6 in the sixth inning. The contest was sent into the extra innings at 7-7 on Andrew McCoy's second hit of the game for Benedict, a solo home run in the top of the seventh.
Lopez retired three of the four Panthers batters he faced in Claflin seventh to force extra innings.
Earlier in the game, Benedict wiped out a 2-0 Claflin lead with five runs in the second inning to lead 5-2.
The Panthers pulled to within one, 5-4, with RBI singles from Langston and Lyndale Morley in the third inning.
Langston and Morley led Claflin with two hits and two RBIs each. Jonathan Parnell, II had three hits and an RBI for the Panthers.
Claflin and Benedict will conclude their three-game series Sunday (April 23) at 1 p.m. in Orangeburg.
Game Notes: The athletics department honored the 2016 SIAC Baseball Champions with the presentation of Championship Rings.
