GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College baseball team captured a pair of wins Sunday afternoon to complete a weekend sweep over Mars Hill College at Pioneer Park. Matt Henriksen went 3-for-5 with six RBI, including a grand slam in TC's 13-5 win in the completion of a halted game from Saturday. In the series finale, Alexi Colon hit the go-ahead home run and Seth Illian threw out the game-tying run at the plate in Tusculum's 5-4 triumph.

Tusculum improves to 30-10 overall and 16-8 in the South Atlantic Conference to remain in sole possession of second place. The Pioneers also clinch the program's ninth consecutive 30-win campaign and a berth into the Food Lion SAC Tournament, which will be held in Forest City, N.C. later this month. Mars Hill falls to 19-25, 9-15 SAC.

Game 1: Tusculum 13, Mars Hill 5 (Completion of halted game)
(Box Score)

Tusculum pounded out 16 hits, including three each by Henriksen, Payden Houser and Branfy Arias en route to a 13-5 win over Mars Hill in the completion of Saturday's halted game.

TC starter Dylan Hochevar pitched the first six innings on Saturday before a severe weather front came through the area that halted the game with Tusculum leading 9-4.

Tusculum jumped out to a 5-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and a pair in the third. Mars Hill cut the deficit with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to make the score 5-3, but TC answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame. The Lions plated in the top of the sixth to pull within 9-4 before the game was halted.

When play resumed on Sunday, Tusculum added another run in the sixth, two in the seventh and one more in the eighth.

Colon's went 2-for-4 for the Pioneers with a pair of walks, while Coffman added a pair including his third home run of the season.

Mars Hill finished with 10 hits, led by Michael Bueker's 2-for-4 effort, while Rusty Smith and Michael Brittian accounted for two each in the loss.

Hochevar (5-1) picked up the win as he allowed three hits, four runs, none earned, walked one and struck out seven. MHC starter Tim Crawford (1-5) suffered the loss for the visitors.

In the contest a combined seven batters were hit by a pitch while seven combined errors were committed.

Game 2: Tusculum 5, Mars Hill 4
(Box Score)

Tusculum starter Jason Gardner pitched a complete game en route to a 5-4 victory over the Lions. Gardner (3-2), who tossed his second complete game of the year, allowed six hits, four runs, one earned, walked one and struck out three in his seven-inning stint.

Tusculum vaulted out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning when Sean Cotten drew a two-out walk and scored on Coffman's double to right field. After a walk to Henriksen, the inning was extended with a fielding error that allowed Coffman to score from second base. Henriksen scored on a double-steal with Drewery moving to second. Arias connected on his 10th double of the year to drive in Drewery with the fourth run of the inning.

But the Lions would tie the game with two runs in the second and third innings. In the second, Mars Hill took advantage of three consecutive Tusculum errors. In the third inning, Coty Pate hit a two-run double to knot the contest at 4-4.

The score would remain that way until the fifth inning when Colon led off with a solo blast over the right field wall and a 5-4 Tusculum advantage.

Mars Hill made a two-out charge at that lead in the next frame. With pinch runner Tyler Reboulet at second base, Bueker lined a base hit to left field. Reboulet was waved home, but Illian's throw to catcher Daniel Vick as he made a diving tag for the final out of the inning to preserve the lead.

In the seventh, Dalton Hardee was hit by a pitch to start the inning, but Rusty Smith hit into a double play. Adam Lewis provided dramatics on the final out of the weekend as his extra base bid was snagged by Colon on the warning track in left center.

MHC starter Greg Smith (3-4) also went the distance as he allowed four hits, five runs, two earned, three walks and seven strikeouts.

Coffman went 2-for-3 for the Pioneers with a RBI, while Brittian and Pate added multi-hit outings for the Lions.

Tusculum will be on the road Tuesday afternoon at Limestone College for a 3 p.m. contest.

- TC -