TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Stillman College Baseball swept Tuskegee University, 14-13 and 7-4, to sweep a non-conference doubleheader Friday in the Tigers' 2023 home opener at Tiger Field. The wins move Stillman to 4-0 to open the season for the first time since 2011.
GAME 1: STILLMAN 14, TUSKEGEE 13
Stillman answered a four-run top of the first with a five spot in the bottom of the inning.
Bobby Woodard drew a leadoff walk to set the tone and later scored when
Mason Collins grounded into an error at second base. After the Tigers worked the bases loaded,
Bryant Rhooms blasted his first home run of the season, a grand slam to right center field to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead.
Tuskegee added a run in the second before Stillman added four more to lead 9-5. Rhooms delivered an RBI double in the inning. He went on to hit 3-for-4 with five RBI in the game, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
The visiting Golden Tigers tied the game in the third inning, but Stillman regained the lead with an RBI single by
Kobe Lewis, followed by a run-scoring error and passed ball to stretch Stillman's lead, 12-9. Lewis had two hits in the game.
Trailing 13-12 in the sixth, Stillman capitalized on multiple Tuskegee errors to regain the lead.
Kelvin Reese scored the eventual winning run, 14-13.
Woodard,
Griff Minor,
Samuel Fleming and
Justin Cummings each had one run in the game.
Raymon Vaughn (1-0) received the win on the mound with 3 1/3 innings of relief work. He struck out five and allowed two earned runs, four total, off three hits and two walks.
Cody Clark closed the game with a scoreless seventh inning for his first save of the year.
GAME 2: STILLMAN 7, TUSKEGEE 4
Mason Collins (1-0) collected his first complete game win for Stillman as a pitcher in a 7-4 win over Tuskegee. Collins, who struck out six straight on Feb. 7 as part of a combined no-hitter at Oakwood University, did not allow a hit through 2 2/3 innings Friday. He had only one hit allowed through more than half of the game, but finished with eight hits allowed, five walks, four runs and three runs earned. He struck out three.
Sieas Elliot started Stillman's scoring in Game 2 with an RBI double to center. Rhooms followed a few batters later with a two-run double to right Tuskegee pushed across one unearned run in the second
Rhooms added a sac fly RBI in the third, Collins drew a bases loaded walk in the fourth and Vaughn recorded a sac fly RBI in the fifth. Collins carried a 7-1 lead into the sixth, but Cody Willis singled in one run. Kyle Douglas added a two-run home run. While Tuskegee put two more runners on base, Collins struck out the last batter looking to get the win.
Geoff Grier and
Tre'en Dorsett each hit 2-for-4 to lead Stillman in the game.
NEXT: Stillman (4-0) is scheduled to host Rust College on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at noon, and then host Oakwood University on Friday, Feb. 17 at noon.
