Makai Holloway fired a no-hitter as Claflin University blanked Tuskegee University 7-0 in the series finale on Sunday (Mar. 17) at Patterson Field.
Claflin claimed the series at 2-1, winning the opener 10-2 on Saturday (Mar. 16), but losing the first game of Sunday double-header 7-6.
The Panthers improved to 14-8 on the season, while Tuskegee is now 5-12.
Holloway, now 3-1 on the season, faced 24 batters, three over the seven-inning minimum. He finished the game with eight strike outs.
Nytorous Cooler, 1-1, was the loser.
Claflin was led by Gerardic Dobbs and Eric McElveen with perfect performances at the plate. Dobbs was 3-for-3 with three runs and 2 RBIs, while McElveen was 4-for-4 with a RBI.
Other top hitters for the Panthers included Kyriq Woods who was 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs and Edzaviah Paul who went 2-for-4.
In the first game of the series, the first five batters in the Claflin lineup accounted for all of the team offense in backing the four-hit pitching outing of Dillon Parker. The five combined the Panthers 12 hits and 10 runs, going 12-for-21 at the plate for a .571 batting average.
Craig Hopkins led the group going 3-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs, Nicholas Johnson (3-for-5 and 3 RBIs), McElveen (2-for-3 with 2 RBIs), Jalen Sprull (2-for-4 with a RBI), and Grayland Fowler 2-for-5 with three runs scored.
On the mound, Parker posted his best outing of the season, allowing just two runs and striking out six. The Tuskegee batters finished the game hitting just .143 against Parker.
Christian Marshall, 0-1, was the loser for Tuskegee.
Caleb Cobb had a hit and 2 RBIs to lead Tuskegee at the plate in the opening game.
In the second game, Tuskegee scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh-inning for the 7-6 come-from-behind win over Claflin.
The Panthers scored five runs in the third to lead 5-0, only to see Tuskegee score four in its half of the inning to cut the deficit to one, 5-4.
The Panthers picked up a run in the fifth to lead 6-4, but Tuskegee staged its comeback in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs in the final inning.
Claflin was led by Malik James with a home run, followed by McElveen and Molik Brown with two hits and a RBI each.
Eric Dubose was the losing pitcher for Claflin, going 6.2 innings, giving up seven hits with five strike outs.
Darien Brown, 1-1, picked up the win for Tuskegee.
Corey Stallings was the top hitter for Tuskegee at 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and Dominic Johnson went 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs.
Claflin will return to action on Wednesday (Mar. 20) at home against Francis Marion University at 6 p.m.
Courtesy Claflin Sports Information