GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum baseball team combined for 33 runs and 33 hits on the day as the Pioneers swept a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader over Brevard Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Park.
Of the 33 hits, 13 went for extra bases as Tusculum improves to 15-8 overall (8-3 SAC) and have won its last six games and nine of its last 10.
TC's John Topoleski reached base safely in eight of his nine plate appearances in the doubleheader as he went 4-for-5, scored five runs, walked twice and was hit by a pitch twice. All three of Nick Lacina's hits were for extra bases including his second and third home runs of 2017. He would finish the day with six RBI.
Game 1: Tusculum 16, Brevard 3
Tusculum pounded out 19 hits and jumped out to a 10-0 lead in capturing the series opener 16-3. The Pioneers scored in each of the first four innings, including a three-run first frame, sparked by Lacina's two-run blast to left field. Dante Key made it a 10-run lead with his two-run blast in the fourth.
Jeremy Glore posted a 3-for-4 performance with three runs scored and a RBI, while Key also tallied three hits and three RBI. Lacina posted two hits, as did Cole Baxley including his second home run of the season.
Ethan Carpenter pitched six strong innings, scattered six hits, allowed two runs, one earned, walked one and struck out six to improve his record to 4-2 on the year. Carpenter posted his 19th career victory, moving him into a tie for sixth place in program history.
BC starter Teke Scudder (1-5) suffered the loss as he pitched the first 1.2 innings of the game.
The Tornados finished the game with eight hits, led by Josh Hall's 2-for-4 performance.
Game 2: Tusculum 17, Brevard 4
Topoleski went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, while Daulton Martin and Zach Lippincott each went 2-for-4 with four RBI apiece in Tusculum's 17-4 victory in the night-cap.
Tusculum vaulted out to a 5-0 lead and blew the game wide open with a 12-run seventh inning as the Pioneers tallied nine hits in the frame while sending 16 batters to the plate.
TC starter Tim Hardy (6-0) remained undefeated on the season as he went six innings, allowed nine hits, one run, one walk and recorded four strikeouts in his 83-pitch performance.
Tusculum totaled 14 hits, while the Tornados (8-18, 2-6 SAC) accounted for 13, including Brayden Morris 4-for-4 performance.
The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with Sunday's 2 p.m. contest at Pioneer Park.
