Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Dominic Rheubottom (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytech HS)'s two home runs were not enough as the Lincoln University baseball team was swept by Salem University 28-12 and 8-7 in Fairmont, West Virginia on Friday.
 
The Lions fall to 0-13 with the losses while the Tigers improve to 15-9-1.
 
Rheubottom's two home runs in the opening game ties a school record foir home runs in a game and his six RBI fall one shy of the school record of seven set by Kyle Brooks vs. Virginia-Lynchburg in 2012.  The sophomore designated hitter went 3-for-4 in the opening game with two runs scored and the two home runs, a grand slam in the third inning and a two run shot in the fourth.
 
Pedro Martinez (Patillas, Puerto Rico/Puerto Rico Baseball HS Academy) also hit a home run, a three run blast in the fourth inning and finished the day with two hits and a walk.  Kashif Hill (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker Academy) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
 
Luis Nieves (Staten Island, N.Y./LaSalle Academy) took the loss in the first game, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing the Tigers first nine runs (five earned) on three hits.  He walked four, struck out one and hit five batters. The loss was his first of the season (0-1).
 
Salem tied two NCAA records for grand slam home runs.  The Tigers hit three in the game and two in the second inning when they plated 11 runs to blow the game open.  The three grand slams were amongst seven home runs belted by the Tigers in the opening game.
 
The Tigers jumped out to a 15-0 lead via the 11-run second inning and grand slams from Dylan Frawley and Josh LaPrest.   Rheubottom got four runs back with one swing of the bat in the top of the third hitting an Albert Cartenuto (1-0) pitch over the right centerfield fence for his first career grand slam.  Jordan Whisler (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara Area HS) reached on an error to lead off the inning.  Jordan Rorer (Cheltenham, Pa./Cheltenham HS) walked and Willie Hines (Bowie, Md./Bowie HS) was hit by a pitch to bring up Rheubottom, who put the ball over the fence to make the score 15-4.
 
Rheubottom hit his second home run of the game in the fourth inning, a two run shot, also to right centerfield  Three batters later, Martinez hit a home run over the left-centerfield fence to make the score 22-9.  Rorer later tripled in the inning to bring home two more runs and close the gap to 22-11.  Hill scored the Lions final run in the fifth on a passed ball.
 
The second game turned out to be a classic back and forth battle with the Lions however coming out on the wrong end of an 8-7 score.
 
The Lions outhit the Tigers 8-7 in the game with seven different players banging out at least one hit.  Aiden Gomes hit a solo home run while Hines had two hits in the game. Carvonte Williams drove in two runs with a single and Nieves got his first hit of the season.  Rheubottom extended his hitting streak to three games and also drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt.
 
Jordan Whisler (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara Area HS) started and tossed five innings, giving up seven runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out three and walking two.  Treyvon Sutton took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season, allowing an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Hill's sacrifice fly RBI in the third produced the first run of the game and gave the Lions the early 1-0 lead.  Gomes' home run to left field in the fourth made the score 2-0 before the Tigers rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Lincoln struck for four runs in the top half of the fifth . singles by Hines, Rheubottom and Hill loaded the bases for Williams who singled to bring home Hines and Rheubottom.  A double steal by Hill and Williams followed and the two runners later on a passed ball and an error to make the score 6-2.
 
The Tigers came back with five runs in the bottom of the inning capped by a two-run home run by Dillon Champagne, taking an 7-6 lead. 
 
In the sixth inning, Rorer had a one-out double and moved to third on a balk.  Hines walked and Rheubottom laid a perfect squeeze play bunt down the first base line as Rorer scored the tying run.
 
A sacrifice bunt also played a role in the Tigers go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth.  Noah Suarez walked, was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a balk and scored on an infield error.
 
Brendan Case pitched the seventh inning for the Tigers, striking out the Lions in order to end the game and save it for Cole Standifer(2-1). 
 
The Lions are back in action on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 when they host Mercy University at Lions Field. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m., weather and field conditions permitting.