Box Score WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Winston-Salem State Rams (38-12) opened the day on an emotional rollercoaster as the team took a heartbreaking 8-6 extra-inning loss to the East Stroudsburg Warriors (34-16), Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament. After taking a seventh inning, the Rams allowed six unanswered runs to the Warriors to end the day with the tough loss.
As a team, the Rams totaled eight hits in the game while allowing 13 hits to the Warriors. The Rams were also hampered by three fielding errors as well. WSSU senior first baseman Aaron Jones was the only Rams player to record multiple hits in the game with a two-for-four effort at the plate with a run scored. Six more WSSU players recorded one run each with senior Brandon Harrison adding a double.
The Rams ran into some trouble early with the Warriors scoring a pair of second inning runs, but answered with three fourth-inning runs. The Rams took advantage of a pair of ESU fielding errors that allowed all three WSSU runs. The Rams scored a pair when Jones forced an error at first base while junior catcher Connor Andrus reached on a fielding error that also allowed another WSSU run. The Rams struck again in the seventh inning when a Harrison double was followed by an RBI single by senior outfielder Travis Moore that scored Harrison. WSSU senior shortstop Paco Martin added an RBI single to score Moore. Senior outfielder German Reyes added another RBI single to leave the Rams ahead 6-2 in the seventh inning.
However, the Rams allowed four eighth-inning runs to tie the game, but fell silent as the game headed into extra innings. The Rams allowed a pair of 10th inning run to finish the day with the loss.
WSSU sophomore pitcher J.R. Wright (1-1) took the pitching loss while senior Tyler Hickernell went 6.1 innings and finished with six hits allowed and just two earned runs. Wright went 2.2 innings and allowed three hits and two earned runs.
With the loss, the Rams fall to 38-12 overall and will face the Concord Mountain Lions in an elimination game tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. at Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park. For more information on Rams baseball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-21523 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.
