March 2017, Sports

Senior hurls four-hitter; SAU splits twin bill

RALEIGH, NC (March 20) – On Sunday, Marquis Johnson (Sr./Richmond, VA) fired a four-hitter in seven complete innings as Saint Augustine’s University tripped Lincoln (Pa.) University 4-1 in the second game of a CIAA baseball doubleheader at Granville Central High School in Stem, N.C. The Falcons fell 2-0 in the first game.

Johnson, a Preseason All-CIAA selection, recorded four strikeouts, one walk and zero earned runs for his third victory of the season. He is tied with teammate Rickey Rice (R-Sr./Union, SC) and four other pitchers for the CIAA lead in pitching wins.

Carson Davis (So./Oakboro, NC) batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and Hector Pichardo (So./Dominican Republic) was 1-for-1 with two runs scored. Alexis Garcia (Sr./Maracaibo, Venezuela) was 2-for-3 with one run scored for the Falcons, who had nine hits.

The Falcons (1-1 CIAA, 10-17 overall) opened a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Davis scored Alexis Garcia on a single and Kilvio Garcia (So./Bronx, NY) scored Pichardo on a single. The Lions (1-1 CIAA, 5-10 overall) closed within 2-1 in the bottom half of the second but the Falcons stretched the lead to 3-1 in the third when Ruben Pinero (R-Jr./Bronx, NY) scored Johnathan Sierra (So./Raleigh, NC) on a single. Michael Keels (Sr./Manning, SC) added the final run in the fourth inning when he scored Pichardo on a sacrifice fly.

Rolando Alvarez was the losing pitcher for the Lions. He gave up seven hits in five innings.

In the first game, Keels was 2-for-3 but the Falcons were shut out for only the second time this season. Rice, the two-time CIAA pitcher of the week, was outstanding in the loss, striking out 10 batters, scattering seven hits and walking two in six innings. Terence Berry threw a four-hitter in seven innings to earn the win for the Lions, who scored both of their runs in the fifth inning.