KANNAPOLIS, N.C. --- Tusculum College junior shortstop Maikol Gonzalez (Maraca Ibo, Venezuela) was four-for-four with a double and three RBI as the No. 25 Pioneers defeated Newberry College 13-2 in the South Atlantic Conference Pre-Season Clash Saturday afternoon at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. The contest was the opener for both teams.

Tusculum junior center fielder Carlos Rivera (Leesburg, Va.) was three-for-five with a triple and four RBI for the victors, who scored 13 runs on 15 hits. Pioneer junior right-hander Raymond Ruggles (Newport, Tenn.) was the winning pitcher, allowing two runs on six hits in 6.2 innings of work. Ruggles struck out six and walked one.

Both teams scored one run each in the third inning. In the top of the third frame, Gonzalez plated a TC run with an RBI double. In the Newberry half of the third, Indian senior shortstop Anthony Dillenger (Gaffney, S.C.) led off with a double. He scored on an RBI single by senior catcher Brandon Gardner (Gaffney, S.C.).

Tusculum took the lead for good with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. TC right fielder Matt Webb (Duluth, Ga.) plated a run with a double, while sophomore third baseman Aaron Hudgins (Kingsport, Tenn.) knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.

The Pioneers scored in every inning except the seventh the rest of the way. In addition to the fireworks by Gonzalez and Rivera, Webb contributed two hits in four plate appearances. Webb had a double and one RBI.

Dillenger, Gardner and junior infielder David Tunstill (Melbourne, Fla.) had two hits each for Newberry. Indian junior pitcher Brandon Petty (Melbourne, Fla.) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in four innings pitched. Petty struck out six and walked two.