CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Nick Charleson pitched seven strong innings in leading the Queens Royals to a 9-3 win over visiting Tusculum Friday afternoon at Tuckaseegee Field in the South Atlantic Conference opener for both teams.
Charleson (3-1) and scattered three runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts, while Tanner Jacobson pitched two hitless innings with three strikeouts to end the game.
The Royals (7-6, 1-0 SAC) scored twice in the second inning on Alex Sexton's two-run single and would add a run in the fourth on Chris Maggio's solo home run to right field for a 3-0 lead.
Tusculum plated two runs in the top of the fifth inning as Zane Keener drew a bases loaded walk and Ryan Dos Santos scored on a Rudy Fernandez sacrifice fly.
The Royals answered with three runs in bottom of the fifth with the big hit coming on Riley Cheek's two-run home to left field.
TU's Will Samuelson led off the sixth with a solo home run, but plated two runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth.
Tusculum starter Harbor Jefferson (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season as he went five innings and allowed seven hits, six runs, one walk and two strikeouts.
The two teams will wrap up the three-game weekend series on Saturday with a noon doubleheader.