EUGENE, Ore. --- Former Tusculum College All-American Alexi Colon made his professional baseball debut over the weekend with the Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League, the Class A short-season affiliate of the San Diego Padres.

Colon went 1-for-3 with his first professional hit being a solo home run in the Eugene's 5-2 victory over Yakima on Saturday. Colon started as the Emerald's designated hitter, where he also drew a walk.

Colon was selected in the 32nd round of the 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft earlier this month, becoming one of the 23 players during the Coach Doug Jones' era to sign professionally and the first to ink with the Padres.

Colon, a senior outfielder from Vineland, N.J., finished second in the nation this year with 21 home runs, which are tied for the second most in school history and ninth most in South Atlantic Conference history. Colon batted .318, while leading the Pioneers with 69 runs scored and posted 61 hits, 11 doubles, three triples and 50 RBI. His 67 base on balls this season are the most in school and SAC history and tied for the 11th most ever by a NCAA II player.

Colon, a two-time All-Conference and All-Region selection, left Tusculum as its third-leading home run hitter, belting 33 over the last two seasons. The ABCA Division II All-America selection also leaves the Pioneers fifth in slugging percentage (.681), second in walks (105 - 9th in SAC history) and ninth in on-base percentage (.472). Including his 2009 campaign at Division II Dominican College, Colon has belted 42 home runs in his collegiate career.

Tusculum accounted for one of the best seasons in school history. The Pioneers posted a sterling 48-10 record, including 24-3 in South Atlantic Conference play as TC captured both the league's regular season and tournament championships. Tusculum advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a sixth time in school history where the Pioneers went 2-2 to finish third at the Southeast Regional.

TC also earned the Pioneers its highest national ranking, being listed as the No. 2 team in the country. The Pioneers ended the year ranked ninth in the final 2012 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Coaches' Poll, for TC's best national ranking to end a season.

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