EMORY, Va. – The Tusculum University Baseball Team (22-15, 8-7 SAC) avenged an earlier midweek loss to Emory & Henry College (8-28, 2-13 SAC) on Tuesday afternoon. The game which was played between two South Atlantic Conference opponents was contested as a non-conference affair. The Pioneers took the victory by a 9-4 score.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Tusculum 9, Emory & Henry 4
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (8-28, 2-13 SAC); Tusculum (22-15, 8-7 SAC)
How It Happened
The Pioneers wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard as Zane Keener launched the first pitch of the game over the fence in right to give Tusculum the 1-0 lead. Will Samuelson made it 2-0 in the top of the second as he tallied the second solo shot of the afternoon for the Pioneers. An RBI double from Blaze McCauley and an RBI base knock from Keener increased the TU advantage out to 4-0 after two innings.
E&H clawed back in the bottom of the fourth. Senior outfielder Jermie Greene, Jr. (Troutman, N.C.) drew a one-out walk, senior catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) singled and junior shortstop Kolby Anderson (King William, Va.) drilled a single through the right side to score Greene, Jr. and cut the deficit to 4-1. The Pioneers tacked on a run in the top of the fifth and Samuelson hit his second long ball of the day, this one of the three-run variety, in the top of the seventh to push their lead back to 9-1.
The Wasps mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Senior second baseman Noah Mazza (Plainfield, Ill.) and junior third baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) drew back-to-back walks to lead off the frame and moved up on a wild pitch. Mazza then scored on a dropped sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Tyler Bradley (Bessemer City, N.C.) to make it 9-2. Junior outfielder Wayne Mize (Salisbury, N.C.) laced a two-RBI double into the left-centerfield gap to close the margin to 9-4. Tusculum brought in reliever Jacob Willett who recorded three consecutive outs to close the door and clinch the win.
Drew Sliwinski earned the win on the mound for the Pioneers as he went three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out a batter. Fifth-year righty Michael Owen (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss for E&H as he surrendered five runs and six hits while fanning two Pioneer batters over four innings of work.
Up Next
Emory & Henry hosts Southwest Virginia rival the University of Virginia's College at Wise on Wednesday for another midweek non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Porterfield-DeVault Field.
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