CARY, N.C. – Saint Augustine's University lost two close games on the first day of the CIAA Baseball Championship Tournament at the USA Baseball National Training Complex on Thursday, April 30, 2015.

The No. 4 seed Falcons scared nationally-ranked and four-time defending conference champ Winston-Salem State University before losing 5-4 in the first game. In the second contest, they fell 8-7 to No. 2 seed Chowan University.

The loss to Chowan eliminated the Falcons from the double-elimination tournament. They finished the season at 18-27 overall.

The Falcons trailed early to the top-seeded Rams, but a two-run double by All-CIAA player Darryl Washington-Hardy (Sr./River Grove, IL) sparked a three-run sixth inning which gave the Falcons a 4-2 lead. Washington-Hardy drove in Alex Garcia (So./Maracaibo, Venezuela) and Timothy Carter (So./Lumberton, NC). Garcia scored All-CIAA player Carey Cheek (Jr./Manchester, MD) on a single earlier in the inning to tie the game.

The Falcons were on the verge of an upset, but CIAA Player of the Year Connor Andrus of the Rams smacked a two-run homer over the left field wall in the eighth inning to tie the score at 4-4.

The Falcons missed a chance to go ahead in the top of the ninth inning. With the score tied, the Falcons loaded the bases with two outs but flied out to right field. In the bottom of the ninth, Colby Keene of the Rams hit the game-winning single.

The Rams led 2-0 after two innings. The Falcons scored their first run in the fifth inning when Corey Brassington (So./Raleigh, NC) scored Washington-Hardy on a single.

Washington-Hardy went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and one run scored for the Falcons. Cheek went 2-for-4 with a double and one run scored, and Garcia had an RBI and one run scored.

The defeat erased a solid pitching performance from All-CIAA hurler Bryan Rivera (Sr./Cidra, Puerto Rico) of the Falcons. The left-handed pitcher scattered eight hits in eight innings and kept the powerful Rams' bats at bay for much of the contest before settling on a no decision.

The loss sent the Falcons to the elimination bracket where they faced Chowan. The Falcons fell behind 6-1 after four innings with the only score coming a single by All-CIAA player Jason Baytop (Jr./Manchester, MD) which scored Brassington in the third inning.

The Falcons erupted for five runs in the fifth inning to tie the game. Sterling James (Jr./New Castle, DE) scored Brassington on a single and Baytop scored All-CIAA Rookie selection Darrell Langston (Fr./Chicago, IL) and James on a two-run double. Baytop scored on a passed ball and Garcia scored Cheek on a single.

The Falcons led for the first time 7-6 in the top of the seventh inning when Garcia scored Baytop on a groundout. The Hawks responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead at 8-7.

Baytop went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored for the Falcons. Garcia went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs.

The Falcons had men on third and second base with one out in the top of the ninth, but a strikeout and groundout ended the game. Carter appeared to have a two-run hit down the right field line, but the umpire ruled it a foul much to the chagrin of the SAU players, coaching staff and fans.

The loss to Chowan ended the college careers of six SAU seniors. They were Desmond Cheek (Sr./Franklinton, NC), Philip Hathcock (Sr./Apex, NC), James, Washington-Hardy, Rivera and Jeremy Sandifer (Sr./Virginia Beach, VA).