GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University baseball team returns to action this weekend as the Pioneers being a season-long eight-game homestand, which will all be against nationally-ranked programs
Tusculum (2-1) will host 36th-ranked Illinois Springfield (0-0) for a four-game weekend series which will include a 3 p.m. single game on Friday, a 1 p.m. Saturday doubleheader and wrap-up with a 12 p.m. contest on Sunday.
This will be the first meetings ever between the Pioneers and the Prairie Stars.
Tusculum won two of its three games on last weekend's Florida trip, opening with back-to-back wins against Barry and Palm Beach Atlantic, before dropping a 9-1 decision at Lynn on Sunday. The Pioneers had its contest on Monday at Embry-Riddle canceled to due COVID protocols within the TU program.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Tusculum opens the home portion of its schedule as they return to Pioneer Park. TU enjoyed a solid 16-4 record at home a year ago and enter this week with a five-game home winning streak.
In their first two games the Sons of Davy Crockett posted back-to-back double-digit run scoring outings with a 14-5 win over Barry and a 10-2 triumph at Palm Beach Atlantic. It marked the first time since 2007 that the Pioneers opened with back-to-back wins and scoring 10 or more runs in each.
Veteran pitchers Gunner Becker and Harbor Jefferson were victorious in their first starts of 2022. Becker, a 2021 All-South Atlantic Conference selection, pitched four innings in a scheduled start as he scattered three hits, allowed an unearned run and posted six strikeouts. Jefferson went 5.2 innings with five strikeouts while allowing an unearned run and four hits, all singles.
Reliever Tyler Smith had an outstanding TU debut out of the bullpen as he tossed two shutout innings while allowing a hit with a strikeout.
Veteran outfielder Wes Reynolds leads the team through three games with his .455 batting average (10th in SAC) which includes a pair of doubles and two RBI.
New second baseman Zach Wilson is second on the team with his .417 batting average in his three starts as he tallied five hits with a double and two RBI in his opening weekend.
Preseason All-SAC outfielder Zane Keener posted four hits last week with two doubles and tied for the team lead with four RBI. Designated hitter Christian Ortega also has three hits, along with veteran first baseman Luis Ezra and shortstop Rudy Fernandez.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD
This weekend will be the season-opener for Illinois Springfield as the Prairie Stars are coming off one of the best seasons in UIS history.
The Prairie Stars are coming off a 37-8 campaign in 2021, winning the Great Lakes Valley Conference Division title and finished runner-up in the GLVC Tournament. The Prairie Stars would advance as the top-seed in the NCAA II Midwest Regional.
Head coach Ryan Copeland returns three of its top four hitters including the All-American duo of third baseman Zion Pettigrew and designated hitter Kal Youngquist. UIS also brings back almost its entire pitching staff which boasted a 3.83 ERA, including the entire weekend rotation led by Preseason All-American Chris Saner.
Pettigrew, the 2021 GLVC Player of the Year, boasted some impressive numbers in his second season at UIS. His .440 batting average was sixth-best in NCAA Division II as the consensus All-American led the team with 17 home runs, while also posting 55 RBI. His .940 slugging percentage and .514 on-base percentage ranked amongst the national leaders. He tied a NCAA II single-game record by hitting two home runs in a single inning against Truman State last season.
Youngquist was consensus All-American in 2021 as UIS's designated hitter where he batted .384 with 14 home runs and 70 RBI. The 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American led the team with 22 doubles and totaled 71 hits while posting a .757 slugging percentage and a .486 on-base percentage in his 56 starts.
Saner, a sophomore right-handed pitcher, earned All-Conference and All-Region first team accolades in 2021. The ace of the UIS starting rotation ranked eighth in the country in hits allowed per nine innings pitched which included a no-hitter. He went 8-0 with a 2.13 ERA with 62 strikeouts in his 12 starts.
Also returning and posting an 8-0 record a year ago is Colton Hale. The All-GLVC choice finished with a 4.06 ERA in his 11 starts and led the team with 66 strikeouts.
Outfield Austin Alderman returns after batting .361 in his 43 starts where he totaled 53 hits including nine doubles, three triples and seven home runs with 35 RBI.
Blake Begner is also back after his 7-2 campaign where he tied for the team-lead with 12 starts with 53 innings, 54 strikeouts and a 3.91 ERA.
Cameron Zunkel was the league's top relief pitcher as he garnered All-GLVC first team accolades out of the bullpen. The 2022 NCBWA All-Region selection appeared in 16 games with a 2-1 record and three saves including two in the opening games of the Conference Tournament. He finished with a 4.32 ERA with 30 strikeouts in his 25 innings on the mound.
FOLLOW THE GAMES
Tusculum will be providing live statistics for all four games this weekend and are available at www.TusculumStats.com and also on www.TusculumPioneers.com. There will be a video stream of Friday's series opener and Sunday's series finale only. There will not be play-by-play available for Friday's game.
TICKETS
Admission for Tusculum home baseball games is $5 for all entrants and children 12 and under will be admitted free. Tusculum students and faculty & staff will be admitted free and a valid Tusculum ID is required. Fans may also purchase tickets online in advance through HomeTown Ticketing at www.TusculumPioneers.com/information/tickets.
Spectators using HomeTown Ticketing can choose to print tickets at home or use mobile entry tickets at the gate.
Face masks and face coverings are encouraged, but not required for Tusculum "outdoor" athletic events. Spectators are encouraged to practice physical distancing within the 2,400-seat Pioneer Park.
