FOREST CITY, N.C. --- Catawba starting pitcher Nick Lomascolo (Mooresville, N.C.) scattered three hits across eight innings of work to lead the third-seeded Indians to a 4-2 victory over fifth-seeded Tusculum on Friday night in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament at McNair Field.
With the win, the 24th-ranked Indians (36-10) remain undefeated in the tournament and will play the winner of Saturday's noon game between Tusculum (30-17) and sixth-seeded Lincoln Memorial at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Lomascolo (6-2) gave up two unearned runs and fanned seven to pick up the win.
Both teams finished the night with three hits. Ryan Bostian (Kannapolis, N.C.) went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs to lead Catawba, while Josh Hohn (Greensboro, N.C.) added a solo home run.
Paul Finger (Lincolnton, N.C.) went 2-for-3, including a two-run home run, to lead the Pioneers.
Tusculum starting hurler Taylor Rakes (Norcross, Ga.) was tagged with the loss. Rakes (4-3) surrendered one earned run and two hits in 6 1/3 innings on the mound. He also walked four and struck out three.
Catawba took a 2-0 lead, taking advantage of a fielding error in the third inning, while also utilizing a two-run double by Bostian, but the Pioneers knotted the game at two in the fourth, as Finger launched a two-run blast to center field.
The Indians regained the lead in the sixth when Hohn delivered a two-out solo home run to right center to give Catawba a 3-2 advantage.
Bostian's second double of the day drove in Wade Moore (Salisbury, N.C.) in the seventh to push Catawba's lead to 4-2.
Lomascolo and Wil Huneycutt (Locust, N.C.) combined to one-hit the Pioneers the rest of the way to seal the win. Huneycutt earned his fourth save of the season after pitching a perfect ninth inning.
"I think it really came down to we made one mistake and they ended scoring the first two runs," said Tusculum head coach Doug Jones. "I think if we made that play they don't end up scoring either one of them, but you have to tip your hat to Catawba and Lomascolo. He was outstanding. We knew we were going to be in for a challenge when we were facing him."
"I thought our pitchers did a really good job of battling and giving us a chance to get back in the game," Jones added. "We are just not swinging the bats really well right now."
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