GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College baseball team used a pair of five-run innings as the Pioneers defeated visiting King University 11-2 Monday afternoon at Pioneer Park.
Senior shortstop Chris Waylock led the charge with his 3-for-4 effort at the plate as Tusculum (23-12) finished the game with 11 hits. TC also drew nine walks and two hit batsmen on the day.
Tusculum pitcher Zach Slagle earned his third consecutive victory in as many starts, while Michael Scott pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to record his third save of the season.
Slagle worked his way in and out of trouble in his 6 2/3 innings on the mound. He faced the minimum nine batters through the first three innings, despite surrendering three hits and a walk. Slagle picked off two runners in the first two innings and got an inning-ending double play in the third.
King starter Grant Boyd blanked the Pioneers in the first three innings as he gave up a lead-off walk in the second to Jim Tolle, the first of his three walks in the game.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Tusculum sent eight batters to the plate. Jeremiah Tullidge got things started with a one-out walk and moved to second base on Tolle's second walk of the game. Boyd retired Waylock on a fly out for the second out of the frame. Kevin Victoriano was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jalen Shuffler as he clubbed a two-out single to right field and a 2-0 TC lead. Scott Gibson singled home Victoriano and John Topoleski doubled down the left field line to drive in a pair for a 5-0 Tusculum lead.
The remained that way until the seventh inning when the Tornado (18-20) got a two-run, two-out single from Jose Sola as KU trimmed the deficit to 5-2. Scott relieved Slagle and he got the final out of the inning on a fly out to preserve the three-run TC lead.
TC got one of the runs back as the drew three consecutive walks to load the bases and Waylock hit a single to center field to extend the Pioneer lead to 6-2.
In the eighth inning, Tusculum sent 10 batters to the plate as Jeovanny Tolentino doubled in Andrew Bowerman, while Tolle hit a bases-loaded double to clear the bases and blow the game wide-open.
Slagle scattered nine this, allowed two runs with three walks and two strikeouts. Scott allowed three hits, a walk and two strikeouts in relief.
The Tornado accounted for 12 hits, including Sola's 3-for-4 performance and two hits each from Ryan Whitt and Jake Portugal.
The Pioneers return to action Tuesday night when they host Lee University for a 6 p.m. contest at Pioneer Park.
- TC -
