COLUMBIA, S.C. – Three home runs during the home-opener powered the Benedict College Tigers over Piedmont International University, 15-10, on Saturday afternoon.

Christopher Harper went 1-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs. Raul Vargas went 2-for-3 with a homer, while Ahmad Ali contributed with two hits, three runs scored, and four RBIs, including a two-run homer. Murrell Martin threw four and a third innings, allowing six earned runs, on three hits, while also striking out eight batters. 

Piedmont jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top half of the first inning. Benedict bounced back with three runs in the bottom half of the first including a two-run homer from Vargas. The Tigers then scored six runs in the third to take a 9-5 lead.

Harper then hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 13-5. Ali jumped in on the action, hitting one of his own in the bottom of the fifth, to make it 15-7.

The second leg of the double-header was halted due to darkness with Piedmont leading 12-8 in the fifth inning. The game will be resumed on Sunday, followed by the third game of the series, at 1 p.m.