MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Benedict Tigers erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning and held off a late charge by the Penn College of Technology Wildcats to take a 9-7 baseball victory in a non-conference game on Saturday at the Ripken Complex.

Anthony Johnson drove in three runs, hitting a solo home run and later a two-run double in the big fifth inning when the Tigers sent 11 batters to the plate. Myles Snype brought home a run on a sacrifice fly, and Michael Garner drove in a pair of runs on a single.

Darian Williams gave Benedict a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single.

Benedict had an 8-0 lead after the fifth inning before Penn got on the board with a run in the sixth. The Tigers pushed across another run in the seventh on another RBI single by Garner.

Penn, playing its season opener, came back with four runs in the eighth and two more in the bottom of the ninth.

Jacob Lagos picked up the win on the mound for the Tigers, going six innings and holding the Wildcats to four hits.

Benedict stole 11 bases in the contest.

The Tigers, now 3-2 on the season, return home for a 1 p.m. game Monday against Lenoir-Rhyne University.