TALLADEGA, Ala. – Looking to snap a three-game skid, the Talladega College baseball team picked up its first win of the season at its home opener with a 14-11 win over Tuskegee University this afternoon. The Tornadoes are now 1-3 on the year while the Golden Tigers are 0-4.

Tied after two innings of play, Tuskegee broke the tie with eight runs on four hits in the top of the third to take a 9-1 lead.

The Tornadoes were able to get one of the runs back off an RBI sac fly by Rafael Diaz that scored Nomar Garcia to make it, 9-2.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Darlin Fernandez reached first after being hit by a pitch and then took second on an error by the first baseman.  Victor Rivera drew a walk to put runners on first and second then a double steal by both runners moved them into scoring position. Each runner later scored off Miguel Oropeza's single to center to make it, 9-4.  Oropeza then came around to score off Armando Jackson's RBI triple to right center to cut the lead to four.  Still, with one down and a man on third, Garcia drew a walk to give Talladega runners on the corners now. Jackson later scored off a sac fly by Isaac Guzman to make it 9-6 before the inning ended.

Tuskegee plated its 10^th run of the game in the top of the fifth, but the Tornadoes responded as they plated three runs in the bottom half of the frame to trail, 10-9.

With the momentum now on Talladega's side going into the bottom of the sixth, the Tornadoes used two hits and a Golden Tiger error to push another three runs across to take a 12-10 lead.

Talladega pitching posted its second and third straight scoreless innings headed to the bottom of the eighth where the Tornadoes scored another two runs to make it, 14-10.

The Golden Tigers scored a run in the top half of the ninth to make it 14-11 but it wasn't enough as strikeout ended the threat.

Oropeza was a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs scored, a walk, and a home run for Talladega.  Teammates Fernandez and Jackson combined going 4-for-8 with three runs scored, five RBIs, a home run, a triple, and a walk.

Tornado reliever Ramses Ortega threw four innings allowing one run (earned) on three hits while striking out six to pick up his first win of the season.

Talladega is back in action Friday, Feb 9 at 4 p.m. when it starts a three-game series at William Carey University (Miss.). Games two and three will take place on Saturday as a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m.