CENTRAL, S.C. – Despite not having played a game in more than two weeks, the Bluefield College baseball team made a strong return to the diamond on Wednesday by taking wins over Southern Wesleyan University, 6-3, and Toccoa Falls College, 6-4, at Connor Field.
 
The Rams run their record to 6-3 with the victories. Southern Wesleyan falls to 4-12 and Toccoa Falls drop to 6-10 with the losses.
 
Jacob Schober had a big game in the Rams opener against Southern Wesleyan, going 3-for-5, including a solo homer, with four runs batted in. Sawyer McLamb also had a successful return to the plate, going 3-for-4. Corey Niten notched the win in relief.
 
Against Toccoa Falls, Nic Ratliff had two RBI, and three more Rams collected an RBI apiece. Chris McCollister went 3-for-4 and scored twice, while Daniel Copeland also scored two times. Chaz Miller collected the win out of the bullpen.
 
Game One – Southern Wesleyan
The Bluefield pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts and the Rams hammered out 11 hits en route to the 6-3 win over hosts Southern Wesleyan. While the Warriors had 12 hits, they stranded two or more runners in five innings, leaving a total of 15 runners on base in the game.
 
The contest was scoreless until Bluefield plated a pair in the top of the fifth. Garrett Schilling provided a one-out single, and Sawyer McLamb followed with a double. After a BC strikeout, Tyler Timmer singled to left to score both runners.
 
Southern Wesleyan responded quickly with a three-run bottom half. A bases-loaded walk scored one, while a throwing error after a fielder's choice plated two more.
 
Jacob Schober pulled the Rams even with a leadoff home run in the sixth. The Rams added two more in the seventh thanks to a Schober single to center, scoring both Timmer and William Kane.
 
The Rams' left fielder finished his four-RBI game with a single to right in the top of the ninth, scoring McLamb for the insurance run and a 6-3 lead.
 
Dylan Ruth threw two frames of scoreless ball to help the Rams preserve the win and secure his first save of the season. He struck out three.
 
Head Coach Mike White placed five Rams on the rubber in the day's lead game, with Corey Niten claiming the win (1-0). Niten tossed 1.2 innings in relief, allowing just one hit. Zach Tapia started the ballgame, throwing for three innings. He struck out five and surrendered three hits.
 
While Luke Harris allowed all three SWU runs, only one was earned. Harris struck out two in one inning of work. Dylan Cole took the mound for 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out a pair.
 
The Warriors' Andrew Howard (1-1) pitched into the seventh inning, but took the loss.
 
Game Two – Toccoa Falls
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead on a home run in the second and kept the Rams off the board until the fourth inning. A Schilling single scored Chris McCollister, while a Ratliff single scored Copeland to put Bluefield on top, 2-1.
 
Bluefield's lead was extended in the fifth as Schober scored on a wild pitch.
 
A two-RBI double from Toccoa Falls' Michael Sneed in the bottom of the sixth squared the game at 3-3, but the Rams responded in the next half inning.
 
McCollister led off the frame with a double. Ryan Lawson then traded places with the third-baseman with a double of his own. Lawson later scored on a McLamb single down the right field line to make it 5-3, Rams.
 
A wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh closed the Rams' lead to one, but Bluefield was able to hold the Eagles scoreless for the remainder of the game.
 
A fielder's choice from Ratliff scored Copeland in the top of the ninth to extend the cushion to two runs, which remained for the 6-4 final.
 
The Rams stranded 14 runners against Toccoa Falls.
 
White once again spread around the pitching. Starter Kaleb Houchins tossed four innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out three. Trayvond Brooks followed with 1.2 innings of work, surrendering two runs on four hits. Miller (2-1) then tossed two innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out a pair to claim the victory. Ruth closed out the final 1.1 innings for his second save of the day, allowing one hit.
 
Bluefield will remain on the road and will open Appalachian Athletic Conference play with its Friday-Saturday series against Truett-McConnell. The Rams and Bears will face off at 2 p.m. Friday and finish the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.