Point drops series opener to CIU

COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 28, 2022) – The Point University baseball team opened its final Appalachian Athletic Conference series Thursday evening at Columbia International University and fell to the Rams 8-5.

CIU took an early 1-0 in the bottom of the third, following an RBI single, but in the top of the fifth, the Skyhawks took the lead, following a double to right field from Kevin Howard that scored Dillon Brown and Connor Varnum. The Rams quickly evened the score with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.

After a scoreless sixth inning, a sacrifice fly from Jackson Bush in the top of the seventh would score Brown and Varnum to help Point retake the lead 4-2. The Rams would again answer in the bottom of the frame, this time to take the lead (5-4). In the top of the eighth, Jaysen Dower would score II Zadod Gabriel with an RBI single to center field to tie the game at five, but the Rams would score three runs in the bottom of the eighth, and the Skyhawks were unable to make a comeback.

Point combined for 10 hits and was led by Brown, Varnum, Howard and Zebediah Baird who recorded two hits apiece. Dower and Kole Sonnier each accounted for one hit. Four pitchers took the mound for Point, with Chase Raines getting the start, going five innings, giving up six hits, two runs (both earned), walking one and striking out two. Bailey Mara came in for relief, going two innings, giving up two hits, three runs (two earned), walking one and striking out one. Cale Whigham suffered the loss, going two-thirds of an inning, giving up two hits, three runs (all earned), walking one and striking out one. Jackson Knox pitched the final out in the bottom of the eighth.

The Skyhawks fall to 24-19 (19-9 AAC) with Thursday's loss. Point will look to secure the No. 2 seed in the AAC tournament and secure the AAC series victory tomorrow as they compete in the doubleheader portion of the series, with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.