WISE, Va. --- D'Sean Prinkleton went 3-for-5 including the game-winning RBI triple in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead UVA Wise to a 7-6 win over visiting Tusculum Wednesday at Stallard Field in non-conference baseball action.
Prinkelton's one-out extra base hit to center field drove home Hunter Meador from first base to break a 6-6 tie.
The Cavaliers (18-29) finished the game with 15 hits including three-hit performances by DJ Dickson, Tyler Campbell, Meader and Prinkelton.
After Tusculum took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, UVA Wise plated two runs in the second inning and four more in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead.
The Pioneers (17-27) responded with a run in the sixth and four runs in the eighth including a two-run homer by senior Jaden Steagall to knot the game at 6-6.
TU senior Kyle Williams reached on a one-out double and later scored on Will Samuelson's single for an early 1-0 advantage. The Cavs loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first against Tusculum starter Brice Anders. But a fly out, a strikeout and an infield pop-up left the hosts off the scoreboard.
Dickson would give Wise the lead in the second with his two-out double to center field for a 2-1 score. RBI doubles by Prinketon and Bret Roberts and a two-run double off the bat of Tyler Campbell put the Cavs in front by a 6-1 margin.
TU got a run back in the top of the sixth when Blaze McCauley lined a double down the right field line to make the score 6-2 in favor of the Cavaliers. In the Tusculum eighth, Williams was hit by a pitch to get things starter. Williams recorded his 10th stolen base of the year to move to second and scored on Zane Keener's RBI single. After a UVA Wise pitching change, Samuelson belted his ninth double of the year to move Keener to third. Christian Ortega brought home Keener with a sacrifice fly out and a batter later, Steagall belted a two-out pitch over the wall in left field for a two-run homer and tie the game at 6-6.
After Wise regained the lead in the eighth, pitcher Hunter Anderson retired the Pioneers in order in the final frame to even his record at 2-2 on the year. TU's Corey Binion (0-2), who came on in the eighth, suffered the loss.
Tusculum finished the game with eight hits including two-hit outings by Keener and Samuelson.
This marks Tusculum's 15th one-run game of the season where the Pioneers have a 4-11 record.
TU will wrap up the season this weekend with its three-game South Atlantic Conference series at Catawba College. The series will begin with a 6 p.m. single game on Friday, followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
