CARY, NC- The Virginia State University Trojan baseball team bounced back and took the 4-3 win over the Chowan University Hawks in the elimination round after falling short to the Winston-Salem State University Rams, 8-4, in round 2 of the CIAA Championship on May 1 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

In the matchup with the Rams, senior Nicholas Christopher took the 8-4 loss for the Trojans after taking the mound and allowing 8 runs on 14 hits and giving 5 strikeouts in 8 innings.

Junior Corey Grant led the team with 2 runs while teammates Christopher, senior Zachary Jordan, sophomore David Markins, and junior Jay Dee Johnson, III each secured an RBI.

The short fall to the Rams moved the Trojans to the elimination round against the Hawks.

Jordan is credited to the win over Chowan after pitching 9 innings and giving 7 strikeouts while allowing 3 runs on 6 hits.

Christopher, Grant, Johnson and junior Tashaun Taylor each gave VSU a run for the game.

The Hawks gained their 3 runs of the game at the top of the 1^st inning while the Trojans tallied a run in the 3^rd inning and secured 3 runs on 2 hits in the 4^th inning.

Neither team collected additional runs in the remaining 5 innings, sealing the Trojans victory.

After 9 innings, the final score was 4-3.

VSU is currently 25-17 on the season and 9-8 in the conference.

This will be the second consecutive year the Trojans will face the Rams in the finals of the CIAA Baseball Championship.

The game is set for 1 p.m. on May 2 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

For more information on the VSU baseball team, visit www.govsutrojans.com.