MARS HILL, N.C. --- Jared Richmond hit two home runs and established a pair of school records as the Tusculum College baseball team rallied to a 10-6 South Atlantic Conference victory at Mars Hill College Friday afternoon at Henderson Field.
The Pioneers improve to 28-15 overall and 12-10 in the SAC, while MHC fell to 26-14 overall and 16-6 in the league. The teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a double-header scheduled for noon.
With his two home runs, Richmond (Fort Smith, Ark.) becomes Tusculum's single-season and career leader in round-trippers. He has belted a SAC-leading 21 homers this season, which ties the TC single-season record set previously by All-American Guy O'Connell in the 2003 season. He also hit career homer runs No. 31 and No. 32, surpassing the previous best of 30 by former SAC Player of the Year Shane Banks (1997-2001).
Tusculum got on the board first scoring a single run in the top of the fourth inning when Sean Cotten (Mooresville, N.C.) singled up the middle to drive in Sean Finucane (Cortland, N.Y.). Patrick Davidson (Swannanoa, N.C.) gave the Lions a 2-1 advantage in the bottom half of the fourth frame when he singled to left field to drive in Brandon Savoca (Riegelwood, N.C.) and Rusty Smith (Leesburg, Va.).
Smith gave the Lions a 4-1 advantage in the fifth inning when he hit a two-run homer to right field. Cotten then cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the sixth inning when he belted a solo blast to center field, his 12th of the year. A two-out single by Michael Bueker (Cooper City, Fla.) drove in Davidson put the Lions ahead, 5-2 at the end of the sixth inning.
Tusculum took an 8-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning on four hits, three of which were home runs. Richmond, Finucane and Paul Finger (Lincolnton, N.C.) each hit two-run homers in the six-run frame for the Pioneers. Richmond then hit his second two-run homer of the contest in the top of the eighth inning to extend the Pioneers advantage to 10-5. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Kris Torrance (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) scored on a sacrifice fly by Dalton Hardee (Boone, N.C.) to end the scoring and take the final tally to 10-6.
Richmond led Tusculum at the plate going 2-4 with two homeruns and four RBI. Finucane and Finger each tallied three hits in the game, including a home run apiece. Junior starter Tyler Collins (Snellville, Ga.) picked up the win (5-1) throwing 7.2 innings on the mound. Cody Stites tossed the final 1.1 innings, including side in order in the ninth.
Smith and Davidson led MHC at the plate with two RBI apiece. Smith also hit a homerun. Bueker, Savoca and Torrance had two hits each in the loss. Tony Hearell (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss (4-1) for MHC on the mound.
The Pioneers out-hit the Lions by a 16-12 margin, including two hits by Nate Grabowski (Pennellville, N.Y.) and a single by Payden Houser. With the hits, Grabowski and Houser extend their hitting streaks to 19 consecutive games.
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