KANNAPOLIS, N.C. -- Tusculum got an outstanding pitching effort from C.J. Hillyer(Abingdon, Mass.) as the 25th-ranked Pioneers defeated No. 28 Catawba in baseball action at the South Atlantic Conference Pre-Season Clash on Sunday afternoon at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. The Pioneers finish the tournament with a 3-0 record, while the Catawba Indians fall to 1-1.

Hillyer scattered six hits over seven innings, allowing just a single run with six strikeouts in posting the win in his Tusculum debut. He stranded five Catawba runners over the first four innings and surrendered just a single run in the sixth on a two-out RBI double by Ryan Query (Kannapolis, N.C.)

The Pioneers were held without a hit by Catawba starter Blake Ketner (Davidson, N.C.) for three innings before breaking through in the fourth. Ricky Feliz (Miami, Fla.) and Maikol Gonzalez (Maraca Ibo, Venezula) led off with singles with Carlos Rivera (Leesburg, Va.) and Christian Rosa (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) following with RBI singles for a 2-0 edge. A third run scored on a Tribe error, while Marc Hyndsman (Morristown, N.J.) capped the frame with a RBI triple.

That would be more than enough support for Hillyer and Carlos Ortiz (Alto, Puerto Rico), who tossed two hitless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts. Ketner surrendered nine hits in his five and two-thirds innings of work. He allowed five runs, three earned, with five strikeouts.

Tusculum will host Davis and Elkins next weekend for a three-game series, beginning with Saturday's 1 p.m. doubleheader at Pioneer Park in TC's home opener.