KANNAPOLIS, N.C. --- Four Tusculum College pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts as the No. 25 Pioneers defeated Wingate University 10-2 in the South Atlantic Conference Pre-Season Clash Saturday afternoon at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. Tusculum improves to 2-0 overall, while Wingate is 0-2 overall on the young season. The 18 strikeouts establishes a new Tusculum and South Atlantic Conference single-game record.

Pioneer junior pitcher Mat Galens (Louisville, Ky.) earned the victory with four innings of one-hit shutout relief. Galens struck out nine and walked one. Tusculum junior starter Brandon Tuten (Mt. Pleasant, Tenn.) struck seven before yielding to Galens. Two Pioneer relievers struck out one Bulldog each.

Tusculum scored a single run in the top of the first inning on a balk. In the top of the third inning, the Pioneers posted three unearned runs on two hits and three Wingate errors. Pioneer junior shortstop Maikol Gonzalez (Maraca Ibo, Venezuela) tripled and scored on an error in the third frame.

Wingate rallied with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Bulldog freshman third baseman Kollin Wilkes (Lexington, S.C.) started the inning with a walk. One out later, Wilkes stole second. Wingate senior second baseman Shaughn Neal (Matthews, N.C.) singled to put runners on the corners.

Bulldog senior designated hitter Josh Benton (Gold Hill, N.C.) blasted an RBI single to score Wilkes. Senior catcher Jay Barnes (Strasburg, Va.) singled to load the bases. Neal scored later on a balk.

Gonzalez was one of three Tusculum players with two hits. Pioneer senior designated hitter Aaron Porter (Clinton, Tenn.) had two RBI. Wingate sophomore center fielder Nick Siega-Riz (Clemmons, N.C.) was two-for-four with a double for the Bulldogs.