TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Stillman College baseball team fell both games of a non-conference doubleheader to the Paine College Lions. The Tigers lost the first contest 15-11 and the second game 12-7. The second game was shortened due to darkness.
GAME ONE - Paine 15, Stillman 11
The Lions scored early with two runs in the top of the first, capped by an RBI single from Jhoel Melone.
Stillman answered with a run in the bottom of the first when
Sieas Elliott drew a bases-loaded walk to allow
Devin Kelly to trot him and cut the lead to 2-1.
However, Paine's offense exploded in the next three innings as the visiting Lions added eight runs, highlighted by a grand slam from Dominique Page in the second inning. The Lions led 10-1 after 3.5 innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kelly used a sacrifice fly to left field to help
Davion Wilkins to score from third. Later in the inning, the Tigers used smart base running by implementing a double steal as
Kobe Lewis stole second and
Gavin Rehorn stole home to move the score to 10-3.
Paine added four runs in the top of the fifth, however, the Tigers attempted to bite back in the bottom of the inning with a Mehka Hicks single to center field to bring in
Samuel Fleming. Wilkins singled down the left line as
Troy Davis scored to move the score to 14-5.
Melone registered the final run of the game for the Lions in the sixth with a home run to left field.
Stillman made a comeback effort in the seventh starting with a Hicks double to help Micheal Moses score. Wilkins knocked in Hicks with a hit to center field.
Devin Kelly registered an RBI as Kelly scored. Fleming came through with a two-RBI double to left center as Kelly and Rehorn scored. The Tigers scored the game's final run when Elliot reached on an error and Lewis scored during the play to move the score to 15-11.
Davion Wilkins finished as the batting leader as he went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, a triple, and a stolen base.
Gavin Rehorn registered three steals,
Devin Kelly stole two bases, and Lewis and Minor got a steal.
Jaxon Pearson (0-3) pitched three innings in the start and walked three batters.
Collin DuBose threw an inning and struck out a batter.
Xavier Reyna pitched the final three innings and registered a strikeout.
GAME TWO - Paine 12, Stillman 7 (Five Innings)
Paine once again opened hot with four runs in the first and another in the third to lead 5-0 after 2.5 innings.
However, in the bottom of the third, the Tigers trimmed the lead when Hicks hit a single up the middle to bring in Lewis.
Daniel Salter followed with a double to left center for two RBIs as
Thedrick Harris and Hicks came around to touch home to move the score to 5-3.
The Lions put together a massive fifth inning where Paine scored seven runs capped by Page scoring on a wild pitch to go up 12-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wilkins tripled through the left side for two RBIs as
Isaiah Hoskins and Salter scored.
Robert Gage collected an RBI on a double when Wilkins scored but also used smart base running to score on the play as well to reach the 12-7 mark.
Following the end of the fifth, the officials decided to end the game due to darkness which gave Paine the 12-7 win.
Wilkins kept the hot bat in game two with two RBIs and a triple while going 1-for-2 with a walk.
Daniel Salter finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a double.
Robert Gage registered a double and Hicks finished with a pair of steals.
Caleb Vallejo (1-1) pitched four innings and struck out a batter. Rehorn hurled for 0.1 innings and posted a strikeout.
Caleb Schreiner got 0.2 innings of relief a got a strikeout.
Stillman College returns to action Friday for a doubleheader to start the HBCU Athletic Conference series with Talladega College. The first pitch is set for noon on March 28.
