INDIANAPOLIS --- The Tusculum College baseball team continues to be listed in this week's NCAA Division II statistics announced officials Wednesday.
The Pioneers (27-15, 11-10 in South Atlantic Conference) are ranked in the top 50 in nine team categories, while five Pioneers are listed individually on 15 occasions.
Senior first baseman Jared Richmond is ranked is listed in seven offensive categories, including fourth in the nation in home runs. Richmond's 19 homers this year lead the South Atlantic Conference and are the second most in school history. He has belted 30 round-trippers in just two seasons at Tusculum, which are tied for the school's all-time record with former SAC Player of the Year Shane Banks, who hit 30 from 1997-2001.
Richmond, a native of Fort Smith, Ark., is also ninth in runs batted in (60), 11th in slugging percentage (.878), 10th in total bases (129), 43rd in on-base percentage (.527) and 32nd in base on balls (29).
Senior catcher Sean Cotten (Mooresville, N.C.) is ranked in four statistical categories, including seventh in runs batted in (62), 30th in total bases (109), 35th in home runs (11) and 48th in hits (63).
Senior outfielder Nate Grabowski (Pennelville, N.Y.) is 22nd in the country in hits (67) and 13th in toughest to strikeout (strikeout every 23.6 plate appearances). Senior designated hitter Sean Finucane (Cortland, N.Y.) is also ranked amongst the national leaders in toughest to strikeout category, posting a rating of 18.9.
Junior pitcher Tyler Collins (Snellville, Ga.) is 50th in strikeouts, where he has fanned a team-best 58 opposing batters.
Tusculum, who has won 13 of its last 15 games, has seen an offensive resurgence and is ninth in the nation in hits (507). The Pioneers are also 19th in home runs (51), 16th in walks (194), 15th in runs scored (385), 20th in scoring (9.4 runs per game), 26th in batting average (.349), 19th in doubles and 30th in slugging percentage (.530). TC is also 17th in the country in double plays turned (39).
The Pioneers will close out the South Atlantic Conference portion of its schedule with a three-game series at Mars Hill College, beginning with Friday's 3 p.m. opener.
- NCAA -
