ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University's Mitch McCain and Bryson Ford have been named to the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Baseball All-Tournament Team.
McCain, a graduate student from Lawrenceville, Georgia, pitched four shutout innings to earn the win in Tusculum's 7-3 victory over Coker in Saturday's elimination game. He scattered two hits and struck out five to improve to 3-2 on the season and 11-9 for his career.
The 2021 All-SAC relief pitcher made 18 appearances while leading the league with eight saves. His eight saves this year are tied for the second-most in a TU single-season. He has a 1.38 earned run average this season where he has pitched 39 innings with 53 strikeouts.
He currently has 15 career saves which are the fourth-most in program history while his 75 mound appearances are second in the TU record book.
Ford, a graduate student from Knoxville, Tennessee, went 6-for-11 (.545) for the tournament with five RBI. Included in his hit total were a double, one home run with three walks and four stolen bases in Tusculum's three games.
The two-time All-SAC honoree went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in TU's tournament opener against Carson-Newman. In that game, he also posted a pair of stolen bases. In the Pioneers' 7-3 win over Coker, Ford had two more stolen bases, along with a hit and a RBI. He closed out the tournament with two hits, two RBI and two stolen bases against Newberry.
On the season, Ford has a .345 batting average and leads the nation with 60 runs scored and is tops in the league with his 23 stolen bases. He also has a team-best 14 doubles with two triples, six home runs and 45 RBI.
Tusculum went 1-2 in the SAC Tournament to move its record to 30-11 overall. The Pioneers finished runner-up in the SAC standings while hits 25-7 league mark was the highest league win-tally in school history. TU is currently ranked 14th in the Collegiate Baseball News Division II Poll.
2021 SAC Pilot Flying J Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team
Hunter Dula, Wingate (MVP)
Jed Bryant, Wingate
Justin Guy, Wingate
Logan McNeeley, Wingate
McCann Mellett, Wingate
Carson Simpson, Wingate
Sam Broderson, Wingate
Jake Harris, Newberry
Luke Orr, Newberry
Dalton Lansdowne, Newberry
Nick Butler, Newberry
Bryson Ford, Tusculum
Mitch McCann, Tusculum
Brayden Coe, Carson-Newman
Matt Coles, Carson-Newman
