GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tusculum University Baseball Team (13-20, 8-10 SAC) won both games of a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader against Emory & Henry University (10-24, 3-15 SAC) Saturday evening to complete the three-game series sweep. The Pioneers took game one 8-3, before winning the seven-inning nightcap by an 11-7 final.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Tusculum 8, Emory & Henry 3
GAME TWO – Tusculum 11, Emory & Henry 7 (Seven Innings)
LOCATION – Greeneville, Tennessee
VENUE – Pioneer Park
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (10-24, 3-15 SAC); Tusculum (13-20, 8-10 SAC)
Game One - Tusculum 8, Emory & Henry 3
The Wasps got the scoring underway in the top of the first when fifth-year second baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) singled, moved up to second and scored on an RBI single from senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.) to make it 1-0. After a scoreless second inning, the Pioneer bats woke up as they pushed across two runs in the third, five in the fifth and one more in the seventh to increase their lead out to 8-1.
E&H got a pair of runs back in the top of the eighth when Foley walked, freshman shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) singled and senior third baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bebber delivered a sacrifice fly to plate one run and Hoppes scampered home on a wild pitch to reduce the deficit to 8-3. That was as close as the Wasps would get however, as Tusculum clinched the series win with the 8-3 victory.
Luke Absher earned the win on the mound for TU as he threw seven strong innings, allowing just one run on five hits. Sophomore pitcher Drew Lanzo (Indian Trail, N.C.) was saddled with the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Six different Wasps recorded a base hit while Bebber led the way with a pair of RBIs.
Game Two - Tusculum 11, Emory & Henry 7 (Seven Innings)
Both teams came ready to swing the bats in game two as they combined for seven first-inning runs. E&H got things started immediately as Foley led off with a single, Hoppes doubled and Smith scored Foley with an RBI single. Bebber kept the merry-go-round going as he drilled a two-RBI double down the line in left to plate Hoppes and Smith. Fifth-year outfielder Triston Hensley (Covington, Va.) singled and both runners moved up on an error. Junior designated hitter Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) smashed an RBI single to the outfield and the Wasps led 4-0.
The Pioneers answered back in the bottom of the inning as they scored three times on the back of a pair of hits and an error to pull back within one at 4-3. E&H added another in the top of the second when Hoppes walked, Smith singled and Bebber drove in another run with an RBI single to make it 5-3. Emory & Henry struck again in the top of the fourth with a leadoff triple from freshman Rhett Barker (Charlotte, N.C.) and an RBI single by Foley. An RBI single from Smith allowed Foley to score and the Wasps held a 7-3 advantage.
Tusculum would not go quietly as the Pioneers scored three times in the fourth, once in the fifth and four more times in the sixth inning to take an 11-7 lead. The TU bullpen kept the Wasps' bats quiet over the final three innings as the home team completed the sweep with an 11-7 win.
Caid Sanders was the winning pitcher for Tusculum as he threw three shutout innings, giving up just two hits while recording one strikeout. Fifth-year pitcher Jack Swarbrick (Haverhill, Mass.) took the loss for E&H as he surrendered four runs on four hits in 1.2 innings on the hill. Smith was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, driving in a pair and scoring another. Bebber finished with a pair of hits and led the team with three RBIs.
Up Next
The Wasps return home on Tuesday, April 1 when they host border rival King (Tenn.) University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Porterfield-DeVault Field.
--E&H--