XENIA, Ohio – The Wilberforce University baseball team slugged four homeruns Tuesday, but it wasn't enough as the Bulldogs fell to Rio Grande, 9-8, in the opening game of a twinbill at the Browne Family Complex at Athletes in Action. 

The second game was suspended in the top of the fifth inning, and will resume March 9.  

Rio Grande manufactured the eventual winning run in the sixth inning with an one-out hit batter, who stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.  

The Red Storm claimed the early lead with three runs in the top of the first inning, but back-to-back solo jacks by sophomore Christopher Alcantara-Diaz and freshmanJunior Veras Vasquez pulled the Bulldogs to within one. 

Back-to-back bombs in the third inning, a two-run shot by Joe Mendy and a solo blast from junior Daunte Ward had Wilberforce with the 6-4 lead. A second RBI from junior Darius Woodson push the advantage to 7-4.  

The visitors scored two in the fourth and two in the fifth to reclaim the lead. Wilberforce knotted the game in the fifth, but the Red Storm came back with the aforementioned run.  

Veras Vasquez was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a homer and an RBI, while Woodson, Alcantara-Diaz, and Joe Mendy had two hits.  

Freshman Kevin Hopkin (0-1) was saddled with the loss in relief, allowing an unearned run on one hit with one strikeout. Starter Xavier Thompson allowed eight runs, seven earned, in five innings with three strikeouts.  

Wilberforce (2-3) returns to the diamond Wednesday, hosting Alice Lloyd, with the first pitch coming at 1 p.m.