RALEIGH, N.C. – Both Ricky Martin (Sr./Raleigh, NC) and Johnathan Sierra (So./Raleigh, NC) were perfect from the plate as Saint Augustine's University pounded Lincoln (Pa.) University 16-6 in the second game of a CIAA baseball doubleheader at Lions Park on Sunday, March 13, 2016. The Falcons lost the first game 4-1.

The Falcons took three of four games in the weekend series to slide into first place in the CIAA standings. They are 3-1 in the conference and the Lions are 1-3 after the first weekend of conference play.

SECOND GAME

Martin and Sierra combined for seven of the Falcons' 10 hits and seven of the team's 15 RBIs in the second game. Martin was 4-for-4 with three RBIs, a double and two runs scored and Sierra was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, one triple, two doubles and two runs scored. Carey Cheek (Sr./Baltimore, MD) and Timothy Carter (Jr./Lumberton, NC) each drove in two runs for the Falcons, who reached season highs in runs and RBIs.

Martin smacked an RBI single to score Mikal Batts (Jr./Kinston, NC), and Sierra hit an RBI double to score William Thomas (Sr./Yorktown, VA) to highlight a six-run fifth inning for a 13-6 lead after the Lions had closed within one run. Martin and Charles Lyons (Fr./Rockingham, NC) each scored on infield errors, and Cameron Lopez (Fr./Vineland, NJ) and Cheek each scored on bases-loaded walks in the fifth.

The Falcons scored three runs in the sixth inning to pad their margin. Joshua Bumgardner (So./Durham, NC) tripled to score Martin, Lyons doubled to score Bumgardner and Lyons later scored on Cheek's RBI groundout.

Sierra's three-run triple down the left field line was part of a five-run first inning for a 5-0 Falcons' lead. His triple scored Darrell Langston (So./Chicago, IL), Carter and Thomas. Lopez also scored on an infield error and Sierra scored on Martin's RBI single.

The Falcons stretched their lead to 7-0 on Carter's RBI double which scored Lopez in the second inning, and Martin's RBI double which scored Sierra in the third inning. The Lions rallied within 7-6 on two runs in the fourth inning and four runs in the fifth inning, but the Falcons pulled away again with six runs in the bottom half of the fifth.

Corey Brassington (Jr./Raleigh, NC) gained the pitching win after holding the Lions to three hits in five innings. He allowed one earned run, struck out five batters and walked two. Cheek pitched the final two innings for the Falcons.

Ronald Lashley took the loss after scattering five hits and giving up four earned runs in four innings. Joshua Robinson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Lions (2-10 overall).

FIRST GAME

The first contest was a sharp contrast from the second game. There were fewer runs as both teams combined for seven hits.

The Falcons fell behind 4-0 after the Lions scored two runs in the fourth inning and two runs in the sixth inning. Alexis Garcia (Jr./Maracaibo, Venezuela) provided a spark when his RBI groundout scored Cheek, but that would be the Falcons' only run.

Langston and Martin each recorded one hit for the Falcons. Sean Brassington (Sr./Raleigh, NC) took the pitching loss despite scattering five hits and allowing no earned runs in seven complete innings.

Orlando Robinson of the Lions was the winning pitcher. He gave up only two hits in seven full innings. Dumarius Gooch had two RBIs for the Lions.

The Falcons (5-19 overall) will host Pfeiffer University in a doubleheader at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., on Tuesday, March 15. Game times are 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.