SALISBURY, N.C. - No. 15 Catawba limited Tusculum to just three hits in blanking the visiting Pioneers 13-0 in South Atlantic Conference baseball action Friday night at Newman Park. The Catawba Indians improve to 34-8 overall and 21-4 in the SAC. Tusculum falls to 32-11 and 16-9.

Catawba took the lead in the second, plating three runs. Julio Zubillaga singled home a run with the bases loaded and one out to put the Tribe on top. Josh Hohn delivered a two-out, two-run single to push the lead to 3-0.

That would be enough support for the Catawba pitchers. Nick Lomascolo blanked the Pioneers on two hits over five and two-thirds innings before exiting on a pitch count to be rested for the opening of the SAC Tournament on Wednesday. The sophomore fanned eight and walked one. Clay Watson got the final out of the sixth then Ross Whitley tossed two shutout frames. Chris Dula closed out the final three outs.

Catawba exploded in the sixth for six runs to break the game open. The Indians benefited from four walks and Garrett Furr capped the big inning on his second grand slam in as many games. A pair of errors led to four more Catawba runs in the seventh for the final margin.

Furr finished the night with three hits, while Zubillaga, Hohn and Ryan Bostian each drove in two runs.

Tusculum's Lukas Graves reached base twice for the Pioneers on a walk and a hit. Branfy Arias and Matt Henriksen accounted for a hit each for the TC offense.

The two teams will close out the weekend series on Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Newman Park.

- TC -