GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Wayne Mize went 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead Emory & Henry to a 12-3 win at Tusculum Wednesday in non-conference baseball action at Pioneer Park. It was the first meeting on the diamond between the Pioneers and the Wasps in 25 years.
The Wasps (8-16) finished the game with 11 hits including four doubles. Tyler Bradley went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, while Camden Bailey also had a two-hit game for the visitors.
E&H plated five runs each in the first and third innings, while the pitching trio of Michael Owen, Zack McRae and Nick Cerrato limited the Pioneers (17-7) to three runs and nine hits on the afternoon.
Owen (2-0) went 5.2 innings where he allowed three runs, six hits, one walk and two strikeouts in his 88-pitch outing. McRae tossed 2.1 shutout innings with four strikeouts, while Cerrato pitched the final inning and allowed two hits with two strikeouts.
Nine different players recorded a hit for Tusculum including Christian Ortega who had a pair of RBI and his team-leading 10th double of the year.
The Wasps sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning as the first six all reached base on three hits, two walks and a hit batter.
Tusculum scored a run in the bottom of the frame as Zane Keener drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a Ben Scartz's double. Ortega lifted a fly ball deep to the warning track in right but Jermie Greene, Jr. made an over the shoulder snag in mid-air. Keener tagged up and scored from third prior to Scartz being doubled-up at second base to end the inning.
E&H added on five more runs in the third as nine batters went to the plate. Camden Bailey and Cole Cunningham each had RBI doubles while Mize posted a two-run single to highlight the inning.
The Wasps made it 12-1 with a pair of runs in the sixth, prior to Tusculum scoring twice in the bottom of the inning on Ortega's double and a two-out base hit from Will Samuelson to make it a 12-3 game.
That would be as close as TU would get as the Pioneers posted three this and two walks in the final three innings. But E&H pitching recorded six strikeouts in the final three frames to secure the win for the Wasps.
TU starter Tyler White (0-1) suffered the loss. Tusculum pitchers Sam Bonilla and Alex Crosby blanked the Wasps for the final 2.2 innings.
The Pioneers return to South Atlantic Conference play this weekend as TU travels to Mars Hill for a three-game series beginning with Saturday's noon doubleheader. The series will conclude on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest.
