SALISBURY, N.C. --- Devan Watts pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings to record his seventh save in leading the Tusculum College baseball team to a 6-4 South Atlantic Conference victory over 11th-ranked Catawba College Friday night at Newman Park.

The Pioneers (27-14, 18-9 SAC) extend their winning streak to three in a row and have won five of their last seven contests. Catawba, which has already clinched a share of the conference title and the top-seed in next week's SAC Tournament, drops to 33-10 overall (21-6 in SAC).

Tusculum starter Placido Torres (6-3) worked his away around 10 hits, including three home runs, including two off the bat of SAC Player of the Year candidate Will Albertson to post the victory.

In his 97-pitch performance, Torres recorded eight strikeouts, while not walking a batter in his 6 1/3 innings of work. Torres has accounted for 87 strikeouts this year, which are the third-most in a TC single-season and only two shy of matching the record 89 posted by All-American Craig Goodman in the 2012 campaign.

With his seventh save, Watts takes over sole possession of first place in the league and is tied for the fourth-most by a Pioneer in a season.

Catawba jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first inning on Albertson's two-run blast, his 20th of the season.

The Pioneers answered with three runs in the top of the second. Jalen Shuffler reached on a one-out single and moved to second when Scott Gibson was hit by a pitch. John Topoleski drove in the first run of the game with his RBI single to left field. After Andrew Bowerman reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two-outs, Jeovanny Tolentino singled home Gibson with the tying run from third base. Bowerman scurried in with the go-ahead run from second on a Catawba throwing error to give TC a 3-2 lead.

The Catawba Indians answered with a pair of runs in the third inning as Albertson homered to left field to tie the game with his SAC-leading 21st round-tripper of the year and second of the game. Craig Brooks followed with an out later with his solo shot over the center field wall and a 4-3 Catawba lead.

Tusculum tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth frame when Waylock was hit by a pitch and Creighton Wilke and Shuffler followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases with one out. Gibson legged out a fielder's choice to drive in Waylock with the game-tying run.

After Torres worked a perfect fifth inning, Bowerman walked and Tolentino was hit by a pitch to put the first two batters on board to start the sixth. Sean Grant relieved Catawba starter Shaefer Shepard to face Tullidge who moved the runners over with a bunt. Jim Tolle grounded out to first base to bring home Bowerman from third. Waylock followed with a clutch two-out single to score Tolentino for a 6-4 TC advantage.

In the bottom of the seventh and one out, Catawba's Bryce Fowler reach on a single and brought up Albertson representing the tying run. Watts relieved Torres and proceeded to strike out Albertson. After Fowler stole second base, Watt fanned T.J. Wharton to end the threat.

Watts worked around a one-out double by Dylan Richardson in the ninth thanks to a ground out and a strikeout. He followed that by pitching a perfect ninth inning to seal the victory.

Tusculum finished the game with 11 hits as Bowerman went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 15 straight games. Shuffler and Topoleski accounted for two hits each, while Tolentino posted a single and drew a pair of walks.

Catawba also accounted for 11 hits, including Albertson's 2-for-4 performance with three RBI, while Houston and Brooks also tallied two-hit efforts.

The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

- TC -