COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers jumped out to an early five-run lead and then closed out the game with seven runs in the seventh inning to take a 15-4 victory over Kentucky State in the opening round of the 2015 SIAC Baseball Championship at Capital City Stadium.

Shomarii Thomas had an RBI double in the five-run first inning, then closed out the game with a walk-off three-run homer in the seventh. Thomas finished the game going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and five RBIs.

Benedict, now 23-15, advances to face Albany State in a winner's bracket game on Friday night. Kentucky State, 13-22, drops to the loser's bracket and will face Miles at noon in an elimination contest.

The Tigers jumped out to the early lead thanks to four hits and a pair of Kentucky State errors. Thomas and Andre Collum had back-to-back RBI doubles. Andrew McCoy and Skyler Sabado bunted in a pair of runs.

Benedict made it 7-0 with a pair of runs in the second inning. Thomas doubled to right field to score Rodney Beach, while Collum followed with a single to center field to score Thomas.

The Thorobreds got on the board in the third inning when Kyle Clark hit into a bases-loaded double play with no outs to score Justin Stinson.

Benedict added another run in the bottom of the third for an 8-1 lead. David White Jr. led off with a single and Mitchell Dixon followed with a double with White holding at third. White came home on a groundout by McCoy.

The Thorobreds scored three runs in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 8-4, getting one run on a bases-loaded walk and scoring the other two on wild pitches.

The score stayed 8-4 until the bottom of the seventh. McCoy hit a bases-loaded single to score two runs. Dixon scored on a wild pitch and Kevin Davis had an RBI single. Thomas then closed out the contest with a three-run homer.

Robert Troiano III picked up the win on the mound to improve to 4-4. Christopher Lail came in relief for the final 3 1/3 innings and struck out four and did not allow a run.