Columbia International University will host its first intercollegiate home game in the school’s history at their new baseball field on Monday February 17. The opening day ceremonies begin at 12:30 p.m. with CIU President Dr. Mark Smith throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. That will be followed at 1:00 with game one of a doubleheader contesting the CIU Rams facing the USC Salkehatchie Indians.
Former Lexington High School player Jeb Wilkinson at bat, now playing for CIU Rams.
The Rams are headed up by former Major League baseball player turned coach Jonathan Johnson. Johnson played pro baseball for 10 years total, six of those years with four major league teams. He was drafted in the first round, seventh overall, by the Texas Rangers in the 1995 amateur draft. He also played in the Majors for the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and in the Atlanta Braves system.
The Rams baseball team pulled a stunning 5-2 upset February 1st in their first win as they knocked off the #16 Webber International University Warriors. The game was only the second collegiate baseball game in CIU history. To date they own a 4 win and 4 loss season.
Johnson is known in the Columbia area for coaching at the high school level for six years, at Dutch Fork High School and at Ben Lippen School. He was also head coach for the Lexington County Blowfish for five seasons.
Michael Reed is Editor of The Standard.
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