AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tuskegee baseball earned a midweek split on the road, taking game one in dominant fashion before falling in a tightly contested second matchup against Paine College on Tuesday at Lions Field.
 
The Golden Tigers opened the day with a 10-1 win, fueled by a seven-run sixth inning, before dropping the nightcap 8-6 despite out-hitting the Lions.
 
With the results, Tuskegee moves to 12-21 overall, while Paine improves to 13-5.
 
Tuskegee 10, Paine 1
The Golden Tigers used a late offensive explosion to pull away from Paine in the opening game of the twin bill.
 
After a solo home run from Ward in the top of the third put Tuskegee on the board, the bats stayed relatively quiet until the sixth inning, when they broke the game wide open with a seven-run frame.
 
The rally in the sixth was sparked by a two-RBI double from Jabari Johnson, followed by an RBI single from Devon Lee.
 
Paine's defense then committed a costly error that allowed three more runs to cross, and Ryan Morrow capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 10-1.
 
Lee earned the win on the mound, tossing six strong innings. The right-hander gave up just one run on six hits, struck out five, and walked two.
 
Richard Powell IV finished the game with a clean inning of relief, allowing one hit and striking out one.
 
Offensively, Lee led the way with a 3-for-4 day that included an RBI and a run scored.
 
John Saffold added a 2-for-3 effort, while Morrow, Johnson, and James Slaughter all contributed to a relentless baserunning attack.
 
Tuskegee stole a season-high 12 bases as a team and turned one double play on defense.
 
Paine was led by Dominique Page and Denny Daza with two hits apiece. Juery Beato accounted for the Lions' lone RBI in the loss.
 
Paine 8, Tuskegee 6
Despite racking up nine hits to Paine's seven, the Golden Tigers were unable to complete the comeback in the second game, falling 8-6 in a back-and-forth contest.
 
Paine capitalized on early control issues from the Tuskegee pitching staff, drawing two walks in the first to score the game's opening run.
 
The Lions then erupted for five runs in the second, highlighted by a double from Mason Roundtree and an RBI single from Vladimir Lemos, to stretch the lead to 6-0.
 
Tuskegee mounted a comeback with timely hits and aggressive baserunning.
 
They chipped away at the deficit with RBI singles from Morrow, Johnson, and Collin McLain, and a sacrifice fly from Slaughter to pull within two runs. However, Paine tacked on two more runs in the late innings and staved off the rally.
 
Denny Daza earned the complete-game win for the Lions, allowing nine hits and six earned runs while striking out eight.
 
Carter McKenzie took the loss for the Golden Tigers, giving up six runs (five earned) on three hits in 1.1 innings of work.
 
Evan Jones, Jabari Johnson, and Collin McClain each recorded two hits to lead Tuskegee's offensive attack.
 
Morrow added two RBIs and a hit, while Jones, Johnson, and McClain each stole multiple bases.
 
The team added another nine stolen bases in the game and turned a second double play on the day.
 
Roundtree and Lemos led the Lions with multiple RBIs and hits, while Paine's patient approach at the plate netted them nine walks. The Lions also picked up three stolen bases in the win.
 
Up Next
Tuskegee will return to SIAC play this weekend as they host a critical three-game series on the road against Savannah State, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and a 1 p.m. Sunday start.
 
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Baseball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 
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