ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Junior infielder Jean Rodriguez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) went 4-for-5 at the plate and scored five runs as the Railsplitters (1-4) split a nonconference doubleheader against the Claflin Panthers (1-1) on Tuesday in Orangeburg, S.C. Lincoln Memorial rallied to take game one 7-5, while the Panthers walked off with a 5-4 victory in game two of the series.
 
Game One - Lincoln Memorial 7, Claflin 5
 
A error put the Panthers' first batter of the game on base and that proved costly, as Rashad Bivens staked the home team to a 2-0 lead with a two-out, two-run home run.
 
The Railsplitters answered right back, though, loading the bases in the top of the second and establishing a 3-2 edge. Logan Augustine (Carbondale, Iowa) reached on an error, while Danny Valdez (Orlando, Fla.) and Rodriguez singled to put three ducks on the pond with one out. Tanner Latham (Knoxville, Tenn.) drove in LMU's first run of the game and the first of his collegiate career by issuing a sacrifice fly out, while Wes Neiderland (Thompson Station, Tenn.) knocked in two more with a single.
 
Claflin scored two runs for the second straight inning to regain the lead in the bottom of the second. Johnny Stevenson evened the score with an RBI double, while Jabari Brown gave the Panthers the lead with a run-scoring groundout.
 
The Railsplitters and Panthers traded tallies in the fourth frame to keep the one-run advantage in Claflin's favor. Neiderland plated his second run of the game by sending in Rodriguez, who led off the inning with a bunt single. Anthony Ford led off the home half of that inning with a double and scored on a two-out passed ball four batters later.
 
After retaking the lead, the Panthers would not plate another run for the remainder of the contest. The Railsplitters, meanwhile, rallied for three combined runs in the sixth and seventh frames. Jonathan Lowe (Sidney, Ohio) singled in Scott Miller (Knoxville, Tenn.) to tie the game at 5-5 in the sixth, and Lowe eventually came around to score on Eric Kalman's (Brooklyn, N.Y.) two-out, two-bagger. Lincoln Memorial added some insurance in the final inning as Rodriguez doubled and scored on a Latham single.
 
Three LMU relievers combined to shutout the Panthers down the stretch, getting the last eight outs of the game without allowing a run. Augustine picked up his first career win after accounting for the final two outs of the sixth inning. Ryan Burlison (Romeoville, Ill.) allowed two hits without a run in the seventh frame as the senior earned his first save of the season. Shane Whalen (Knoxville, Tenn.) tossed an inning in relief as well, striking out two over that span.
 
Freshman Jake Watkins (Powder Springs, Ga.) got the start in game one, tossing 4 1/3 innings with no earned runs against his ledger and five strikeouts.
 
Along with Rodriguez's 3-for-3 showing with three runs scored, Neiderland went 2-for-5 with three RBI, Lowe had two hits and an RBI, and Latham went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in.
 
Game Two - Claflin 5, Lincoln Memorial 4
 
After falling in an early hole, the Railsplitters erased a four-run deficit only to see the Panthers escape with a walk-off victory.
 
Rashad Bivens powered the Panthers to an early 4-0 lead, hammering another two-run home run in the bottom of the first and driving in his fifth run of the series with a single in the bottom of the second frame. In between Bivens's run-scoring knocks, Claflin added a run via a bases loaded wild pitch in the home half of the first.
 
Prior to the start of the fourth inning, Valdez was responsible for the only LMU hit of the game, a leadoff double in the third stanza. But Kalman provided the Railsplitters with their second hit of the game In the fourth stanza and put a run on the board in the process with a solo home run, his second of the season.
 
The Railsplitters continued to chip away in the fifth, using two walks and a passed ball to put runners on second and third with no outs. Lathan and Neiderland took care of the rest from there, driving in both runners with back-to-back sacrifice fly outs.   
 
The visiting team failed to manufacture another run until deep into the seventh frame. Rodriguez singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior Scott Miller, then, came up clutch, sending a fly ball just deep enough into right field to tie the game.
 
But things fell apart for the Railsplitters in the bottom of the seventh. Claflin's first two batters went down in order, but two straight hit-by-pitches and an intentional walk loaded the bases. The Panthers were then able to produce the game-winning run without a hit or an error as Jesse Minter was issued a free pass to end the game.
 
Until the final inning, Chase Randolph (Harriman, Tenn.) dazzled in relief of starter Jake Mills (McCordsville, Ind.). Randolph spun six innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits while striking out five over that span. Mills was pulled after 2/3 of an inning in which he surrendered three runs and walked five batters.
 
Claflin's Justin Vreeland and Anthony Ford combined to limit the Railsplitters to only four hits in the game. Vreeland went six innings and allowed only three hits with three strikeouts, while Ford allowed an unearned run in an inning of relief.
 
Rodriguez led the way for the Railsplitters with a hit, a walk and two runs scored.
 
Lincoln Memorial welcomes the Wingate Bulldogs to Lamar Hennon Field on Friday for the home and South Atlantic Conference opener. The Railsplitters and Bulldogs are scheduled for a single nine-inning game on Friday, with first pitch set for 4 p.m., and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.