PROVIDENCE, RI – A five-run first inning was more than the Johnson & Wales University baseball team could overcome on Tuesday. The Wildcats lost an 11-3 decision to Salem State

The loss dropped the Wildcats to 8-5 while the Vikings improved to 9-5.

Salem State got five runs in the first inning off JWU starter Kyle Cutler. The sophomore right-hander hit two batters and walked two more. Pat Fitzgerald delivered a bases clearing single.

Johnson & Wales chipped away at the lead in the fifth when Edison Mercado belted a two-run home run to score Vin Amalfitano. Mercado and Amalfitano led the Wildcats with a pair of hits each.

The Vikings got 12 hits from the middle of the lineup. Jose Cedano had four hits and scored three runs while Fitzgerland and Madoc Fisher added three hits. Andrew McLaughlin gave up two runs on seven hits in five innings of work to improve to 2-2.

The Wildcats are on the road Thursday to take on Wentworth at 7 p.m.