CENTRAL, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (18-12, 15-7 CC) began a rescheduled four-game series by splitting a doubleheader at Southern Wesleyan University (7-25, 7-23 CC). The Warriors took Game 1, 4-2, but the Fleet responded with a convincing 14-3 win in Game 2. These teams will finish off the series with another doubleheader next Wednesday.
 
THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Erskine still dominates the all-time series 18-2, having won the first 11 meetings against Southern Wesleyan. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: Both teams went quietly through the first two innings, but the Warriors exploded for a four-spot in their half of the third inning to break the deadlock. Drew Yniesta answered back in the top of the fourth with a solo home run to straightaway left field, but the Erskine bats were silenced by a solid outing from the Southern Wesleyan starter. Trailing by three runs in the seventh and final inning, the Fleet attempted to rally. Peniel Sabino knocked a single to drive in Cody Forster, and gave Erskine two at-bats with the tying run at the plate. But, the Warriors closed the door and took Game 1, 4-2.
 
GAME 2: The back half of the doubleheader began the same way Game 1 did, as Southern Wesleyan jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after just two innings. But Fleet starter Weston Kerley settled in and that explosive Erskine offense took over. For the second straight game, Yniesta got the Fleet on the board, this time a ringing double down the left field line to plate a run before Erskine added another run on a balk to get back within 3-2. In the fourth inning, Cal Bocchino tied the game with a run-scoring single, before the Fleet lineup got red hot in the final two frames. The Erskine sixth started with a bang as Dayan Reinoso and Forster went back-to-back to put the Fleet in front for the first time at 5-3. That would not be all for Erskine in the frame, though, as Tariq Bacon added a sacrifice fly and a Livan Reinoso RBI single finished a four-run sixth inning. After Parker Cassell retired the side in order in the bottom half of the sixth, the Fleet put an exclamation point on Game 2 with another monster inning in the seventh. The first three batters reached and Gregory Sanders plated a run with an RBI groundout to extend Erskine's lead to 9-3. Bacon, Boyd, and Yniesta all had run-scoring hits in quick succession and Livan Reinoso scored on a passed ball to put the finishing touches on a seven-run seventh inning and a 14-3 Erskine win Game 2.

THE PLAYER
GAME 1: Drew Yniesta was 2-for-3 including a solo home run to get Erskine on the board in the fourth inning.

GAME 2: Cody Forster was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two driven in as well. Forster followed a Dayan Reinoso lead-off home run in the sixth with a solo shot of his own, and also had one of the four stolen bases for the Fleet in their Game 2 victory.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine returns home next weekend for a four-game series against the fifth-ranked University of Mount Olive (25-7, 20-4 CC) with a doubleheader on Friday at 12:00 p.m.

The Trojans lead the all-time series 37-9 and split a doubleheader the last time the teams met in Due West back in April 2019. The third-placed Fleet attempt to make one final push to a regular-season Conference Carolinas title as they take on the conference leaders.
 
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