MACON, Ga. – The sixth-seeded Benedict Tigers stayed alive in the 2026 SIAC Baseball Championship with a 13-10 victory over Savannah State University on Sunday afternoon.
Cameron Haley led the Benedict offensive attack, hitting a pair of home runs along with a double. Haley went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.
Milton Herring also had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a two-run single in Benedict's six-run sixth inning to take the lead for good.
Sixth-seed Benedict, now 23-12, stays alive in the tournament to face fifth-seed Morehouse (24-20) later Sunday in another elimination game. That game will take place after the winner's bracket game between top-seed Spring Hill and third-seed Edward Waters, approximately 7 p.m. Savannah State ends its season at 27-20.
The two teams traded solo runs through the first two innings. Herring drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning, and Haley hit a solo home run in the second inning.
The Tigers pushed across four runs in the third inning.
Kent Johnson led off with a single and later scored on a fielder's choice by
Jaquez Akins. Herring hit an RBI double, and Haley hit a deep shot over the left field fence to give Benedict a 6-2 lead.
Savannah State retook the lead with five runs in the bottom of the third inning on four hits, two walks, a hit batsman and a Benedict error, all after two outs.
The score remained 7-6 until the sixth inning, when Benedict pushed across six runs on just one hit and a SSU error. The Tigers drew three walks and had three hit batters in the inning. Herring's two-run single was the only hit in the inning. Benedict took the lead for good, 8-7, when two runs scored on a Savannah State error.
Savannah State scored a single run in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to cut the lead to 12-10.
Milton Herring singled in the ninth and later scored on a sacrifice fly by
Christopher Trujillo Ruiz for the final run of the game.
Garvey Chiarolanzio (2-1) picked up the win in relief, pitching four and a third innings, allowing two runs and striking out five.
Lefrederick Wooten came on to pitch the ninth inning and earned his first save of the season by not allowing a hit and striking out two of the three batters he faced.
