GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum's Brandon Trammell and Bryson Ford recorded four RBI each in Sunday's second game as the Pioneers split a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader with the Queens University of Charlotte.
Nick Charleson pitched a one-hit shutout as the Royals blanked Tusculum 3-0 in Sunday's first game. Tusculum scored eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings combined as the Pioneers won the weekend's final contest, 11-4.
The Pioneers (14-3, 10-2 SAC) win their third SAC series to open the spring and remain atop the league standings.
Game 1: Queens 3, Tusculum 0
Charleson pitched a 118-pitch masterpiece in Queens' 3-0 win over the Pioneers. For the Royals, it was the program's first victory over Tusculum in six attempts.
He retired the side in three of the seven innings he pitched. He walked four Pioneers, plunked two and Luis Ezra's infield single in the second was the lone hit surrendered as he evens his record at 2-2.
The Royals' game in the second and sixth innings. In the second, Queens scored twice including a two-out single by Nick Melton. Drake Harris added an insurance run with his two-out solo homer to right field.
Despite the hit, the Pioneers were able to get base runners aboard, but stranded nine and were shutout at home for the first time since Apr. 12, 2018 when No. 28 Lincoln Memorial blanked the TU 5-0 at Pioneer Park.
The Tusculum pitching duo of Keegan Ernest and Justin Parker pitched well in the loss. Ernest (2-1) went 4.1 innings, allowed two runs on two hits, walked four and struck out two. Parker went 2.2 innings with the lone run coming on Harris' solo blast in the sixth.
The Queens win snapped the Pioneers' eight-game home winning streak while handing TU its second home loss of 2021.
Game 2: Tusculum 11, Queens 4
Tusculum was out-hit 9-7, but the Pioneers drew seven walks and were hit by pitch on six occasions as TU won the night-cap 11-4 over the Royals.
Trammell recorded a pair of hits including a double and four RBI. Bryson Ford hit his seventh double of the season and tallied four RBI in the victory.
Tusculum scored three times in the third inning thanks to a two-run double from Trammell and a bases loaded walk to Jaden Steagall.
The Royals plated two runs in the fifth and Noah Jones tied the game 3-3 with his two-out, solo homer in the fifth.
TU broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a Ford sacrifice fly and a two-out, two-run single from Trammell as the Pioneers regained the lead at 6-3. Tusculum added five runs in the seventh, highlighted by Ford's three-run double down the left field line.
Mitch McCain (2-1), who took over on the mound in the sixth inning, went 3.1 innings where he scattered four hits, one run, zero walks and six strikeouts for his second win of the season. He recorded a save in Saturday's 12-11 victory.
Tusculum returns to action this weekend as they travel to Lincoln Memorial for a four-game series.
