HICKORY, N.C. --- The Tusculum baseball team used a four-run sixth inning in the nightcap to win 4-3 over Lenoir-Rhyne and salvage a split of Saturday's South Atlantic Conference doubleheader at Bears Field.

The Bears (18-26, 10-14 SAC) scored seven unanswered runs to post an 8-3 win over the Pioneers (24-14, 14-10 SAC) in Saturday's opener. Tusculum's victory in the Saturday's second contest gave the visitors a 2-1 series win to remain in third place in the league standings.

Tusculum returns home on Tuesday to host Trevecca Nazarene for a 7 p.m. contest at Pioneer Park.

Game 1: Lenoir-Rhyne 8, Tusculum 3
(Box Score)

L-R shortstop Dalton Hall hit a three-run home run and finished with four RBI to lead the Bears to the 8-3 win.

Tusculum's Cade Stallings connected on a solo home run in the top of the third inning as the Pioneers jumped out to a 3-1 lead before the Bears reeled off the final seven runs en route to the victory.

Hall's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth gave the Bears the lead for good before his three-run home run in the sixth frame.

L-R's Colton Hansley added a pair of hits and an RBI while Christian Hicks earned the win on the mound.

Hicks pitched five perfect innings and retired the final 15 batters while striking out four in improving to 2-4 on the season.

For Tusculum, Stallings and Trey Drewery both finished with three hits and an RBI, while Taylorsville, N.C. product Adam Sigmon (5-4) suffered the loss in his return to his native state.

Game 2: Tusculum 4, Lenoir-Rhyne 3
(Box Score)

Trailing by a 3-0 score, the Pioneers rallied with four runs in the top of the sixth to salvage the split.

In the sixth frame, Joe Polichetti tied the score at three with a two-run single before Vinny Ferrara came through with the game-winning RBI single. Polichetti finished the game going 3-for-3 at the plate.

L-R jumped out to a 3-0 advantage behind sophomore Ivan Vieitez (Miami, Fla.), who drove in runs with a triple and a sacrifice fly in the third and fifth innings, respectively.

Hall added three hits and two runs scored and Hansley connected on a run-scoring double for the Bears in the loss.

On the mound, Tusculum reliever John-Austin Shepard (4-1) earned his second win in as many days while Vieitez (3-1) took his first loss of the season in a relief effort. Shepard pitched three innings shutout innings, allowing one hit, a walk and five strikeouts.

Tusculum starter Billy Sivyer went four innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk in a no-decision.

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