GAFFNEY, S.C. --- Sophomore closer Cameron Culp retired five batters in a row after inheriting a one-out, bases loaded jam in the top of the eighth inning as No. 30 Limestone College (28-14, 14-6) edged visiting Tusculum College (30-11, 16-8) 6-5 Tuesday, at Bob Prevatte Field.

Culp is now tied with North Georgia's Jacob Rickett for the most saves in the nation with 11.

Holding a slight 6-5 edge going into the eighth inning, Saints reliever Zack Lucas (Annapolis, Md.) ran into trouble after plunking pinch-hitter Aaron Guinn (Norris, Tenn.) and Lukas Graves (St. Joseph, Ill.) in consecutive at-bats. Culp was summoned from the bullpen and forced an infield pop before getting Sean Cotten (Mooresville, N.C.) on strikes, leaving the bases loaded. Culp retired the ninth in order to collect his 11th save of the season.

The Pioneers put together an opportunity to take an early lead in the top of the first after a two-out walk by Matt Henriksen (Hingham, Mass.) loaded the bags. However, Saints starter Jordan Robinson (Shelby, N.C.) stranded all three runners after forcing the next batter to ground into a fielder's choice. LC then used a Tusculum error in the bottom of the frame to put up a two spot.

With two on and one out, TC starter Adam Sigmon (Taylorsville, N.C.) got a pitchers best friend as junior catcher Joe Maloney (Aston, Pa.) rolled one over to the shortstop for what appeared to be an inning ending double play. However, a dropped ball on the exchange allowed Limestone to load the bases for Chad Balderman (Irmo, S.C.) who then platted a run with a fielder's choice before Zach Howard (Mocksville, N.C.) sent a slow grounder to third for an RBI infield knock, pushing the home team out to a 2-0 advantage.

In the top of the third, a leadoff walk by Graves would come back to haunt the Saints as Alexi Colon (Vineland, N.J.) ripped a double to the rightfield fence, scoring the Graves from first to cut the lead in half. An out later, Cody Coffman (Cape Coral, Fla.) sent an RBI base hit through the left side to knot the game up at 2-2 for the Pioneers.

Limestone tacked on three runs in the home half of the fourth. With one out, Al Benson (Cherryville, N.C.) sent a shot up the middle before David Christy (Greenville, S.C.) drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Josh Troutman (North Augusta, S.C.) followed with a double that scored both runners before eventually scoring a Tusculum error, making it a 5-2 ballgame.

TC got two of those runs back in their half of the fifth, using back-to-back doubles by Cotten and Coffman to close the gap to 5-3. A third double of the frame by Trey Drewery (Vale, N.C.) cut the deficit to one-run but the Limestone used a double by Benson in the bottom of the inning to gain a 6-4 edge. A leadoff double by Branfy Arias (La Romana, Dominican Republic) in the sixth came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Colon to again pull the Pioneers to within a single run at 6-5 and set the stage for Culp to come in and close the door in the eighth.

Tusculum pounded out 11 hits, five of which were doubles but would leave 10 men stranded. Coffman led the way with a 3-for-5 showing at the plate with a double, a run scored, and two RBI while Drewery tallied a pair of hits, including a double, and an RBI. Sigmon (2-2) went the distance in a losing effort, allowing six runs, three earned, on nine hits and three walks. He struck out four.

Reliever Thomas Fekete (Aiken, S.C.) collected the win in relief to run his record to 5-1 on the year. Jordan Robinson allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks in the start. He struck out four in 4.2 innings of work. Preston Glew (Anderson, S.C.) struck out the only batter he faced in the sixth and Josh White (Moravian Falls, N.C.) tossed a scoreless seventh.

Troutman paced the Saints offense with a three-hit day, including two doubles, and two RBI. He extended his season-high hitting streak to 11 straight games. Benson went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI while Howard drove in a run on a pair of hits. Christy and Micah Robinson (DeLand, Fla.) each chipped in a hit while Balderman finished with an RBI.

Tusculum continues its two-game Palmetto State road swing on Wednesday as the Pioneers travel to Greenwood, S.C. to take on Lander University for a 4 p.m. contest.

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