COLUMBIA, S.C. – Albany State held Benedict to just three hits in the first game, then hit four home runs in the second game to sweep a SIAC baseball doubleheader on Saturday at Tiger Field.
 
The Golden Rams won 17-3 and 19-5 to improve to 18-5 overall and 16-1 in the SIAC. Benedict falls to 8-11 overall and 4-10 in the SIAC.
 
Albany State opened the first game with four runs in the first inning. Benedict came back with two runs in the bottom of the first. Jamell Mitchell Jr. walked, stole second and later came home on an Albany State error. Justin Murray followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2.
 
The Golden Rams scored two runs in the fourth inning, then scored nine runs in the sixth inning.
 
In the second game, the Tigers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to back-to-back homers by Murray and Jalen McDuffie. Albany State took the lead with four runs in the second inning, then put the game away with 10 runs in the fourth inning, hitting three home runs, one an inside-the-park homer. The Golden Rams added one run in the fifth, and two in the sixth and seventh innings for a 19-3 lead. The Tigers tacked on two runs in the bottom of the seventh when McDuffie hit a two-out single to score a pair of runs.
 
The Tigers and Golden Rams will meet again on Sunday for the third game of the series at 1 p.m.