Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PETERSBURG, Va. – The Lincoln University baseball team suffered a doubleheader setback in its CIAA opener on Saturday as the Lions dropped the opener, 10-0, and fell in the second game, 11-2, at Whaley Colbert Field.
 
In the opener, Virginia State (6-5 overall, 1-0 CIAA) scored two runs in the first and one in the second for a 3-0 advantage. The Trojans used the middle innings to do most of the damage by plating two in fourth, three in the fifth and a pair in the sixth as the game was called after seven innings because of the NCAA mercy rule.
 
Kyle Finneman (South Jordan, Utah/Bingham), Edwin Rivera (Bronx, N.Y./Gompers HS) and Brandon Bolden (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro HS) each went 1-for-3 offensively for Lincoln.
 
Richard Holguin (Bronx, N.Y./Fannie Lou Hamer HS) (0-1) took the loss in pitching 3.1 innings. He surrendered five runs (four earned) on four hits with seven walks and a pair of strkeouts. Devin Legins (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy) worked 2.2 innings of relief.
 
Colton Gunn (1-0) picked up the win in six innings of action. He fanned nine and gave up a pair of hits. Aaron Kinney pitched an inning in relief.
 
In the second game, Lincoln (0-2, 0-2) got RBIs by Christian Valdez (Hyattsville, Md./Bladensburg HS) and Bolden in the loss.
 
Virginia State plated four in the first, two in the second and four in the third to grab a 10-0 through three innings.
 
Lincoln tried to rally and scored a run in the fourth as Finneman walked and came in to score on a Bolden single to right.
 
The Trojans answered with a run in the fifth, but the Lions tried to mount some late-inning magic in the sixth.
 
With two down in the frame, Valdez belted his first career collegiate homer to trim the margin to 11-2, but it wasn't enough to overtake the strong bats of Virginia State.
 
Valdez went 1-for-3, while Finneman and Bolden each went 1-for-2 to pace the Lincoln offense.
 
Stephen Smith (Los Angeles, Calif./Dorsey HS) (0-1) pitched three innings in earning the loss. He gave up 10 runs (seven earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Phillip Tomsic (Bangor, Mich./Bangor HS) worked three innings in relief and had three strikeouts.
 
David Fitzgerald (1-0) earned the win as he pitched five innings and fanned six. Lovell Estep worked two innings in relief.
 
The two teams complete the three-game CIAA series 1 p.m., on Sunday, March 3 at Whaley Colbert Field.