GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College baseball team established five school records as the Pioneers thwarted visiting Pfeiffer University, 27-7 Tuesday night at Pioneer Park.
Tusculum (20-13) posts its sixth consecutive victory and 11th in the last 12 games as the Pioneers avenge last month's 22-6 loss to the Falcons.
TC established school team marks for runs scored (27), hits
(26), RBI (26) and double plays turned (3). For a third straight
game, all nine offensive starters recorded a hit for the Pioneers.
Tusculum also posted its fourth straight game with 20 or more hits
and ninth in row with at least 10 hits.
Sean Finucane went 5-for-5, including two home runs and a
career-best six RBI. Nate Grabowski was also perfect at the plate
with his 4-for-4 performance. Both seniors scored five runs each
to tie a Tusculum single-game mark.
Tusculum erupted for a dozen runs in the first inning as the Pioneers used eight hits and four Pfeiffer errors as TC sent 17 batters to the plate. Jared Richmond got things started, as he went the opposite way as he homered down the left field line with a man aboard to put TC ahead, 2-0. It was his 15th homer of the season and 26th of his Tusculum career, which ties him for third-most all-time with former All-American Guy O'Connell (2003-04). It was also Richmond's only hit of the night to extend his hitting streak to 14 in a row.
The Falcons (18-21) finished with 12 hits on the evening, including Eric Shoemaker's 3-for-3 effort, while Josh Strickland, Will Davis and Hunter Boehme each recorded multi-hit performances for the visitors. Pfeiffer's Zack Pou recorded a sharp single in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to 31 straight games.
Sean Cotten, the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week, extended his hitting streak to 12 in a row, as he went 2-for-4 with a RBI, while Rolondo Bonner went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Eric Barclay and Payden Houser added two hits each in the victory.
Tusculum starter Jason Gardner (3-1) earned the win as he went seven innings where he allowed eight hits, three runs, a walk and posted three strikeouts.
The Pioneers return to SAC action this weekend as they host Newberry College for a three-game series, beginning with Friday's 7 p.m. opener.
- TC -
