Claflin Baseball Drops Non-Conference Game to Armstrong Atlantic

Orangeburg, S.C. (Claflin) —The Claflin University baseball team fought hard but came up just short, falling to Armstrong Atlantic University, 8-6, in a non-conference contest Tuesday at Historic Mirmow Field in Orangeburg.

Claflin falls to 1-11 overall while Armstrong Atlantic improves to 10-2 on the season.

The Pirates scored two runs in the first, one run in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth, to jump out to an 8-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.

The Panthers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as a sacrifice fly by Johnny Stevenson scored Rashad Bivens from third.

That run appeared to be the surge Claflin needed.

The Panthers held Armstrong Atlantic scoreless over the final five innings and put up one run in the fifth and four in the eighth to cut the deficit to two, 8-6.

Claflin had a couple of opportunities in the bottom of the ninth but could not capitalize, falling by the two run margin.

Reginald Rogers went 2-for-3 with one run and Silvaris Hooks, Jr., came off the bench to go 1-for-2 with a run for the Panthers.

Armstrong Atlantic was led by Ryan Patterson who went 2-for-4 with one run and three RBIs and Chandler Corley who went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.

The Panthers will return to action this weekend when they host Bluefield State in a three game non-conference series beginning Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.