GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Tusculum Pioneers scored six runs in the fourth inning as TU defeated visiting Mars Hill, 10-6 Monday afternoon at Pioneer Park in South Atlantic Conference baseball action.
The Pioneers (12-10, 8-4 SAC) complete the three-game series sweep over the Lions (8-14, 3-9 SAC) as Tusculum moves into a tie for second place in the league standings.
TU starting pitcher Brice Anders improved to 4-1 on the season as he recorded nine strikeouts in his 5.2 innings on the mound.
The Pioneers could only manage seven hits, but TU batters drew 10 walks, three hit batsmen and posted a season-best eight stolen bases which are tied for the third-most in program history.
TU outfielder Zane Keener posted a career-best three stolen bases as he scored twice with a single and two walks. Ben Scartz also scored twice as he recorded his fourth double of the season and also walked two times.
Mars Hill outfielder Trey Putnam went 3-for-4 with a walk, while Alex Naran drove in a pair of runs.
Tusculum scored three times in the first inning including sacrifice flies by Murphy Flood and Jake Absher while Scartz scored on a wild pitch.
Mars Hill plated a pair of runs in the top of the second as Chad Sikes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Zach Weaver drove in the other run with his two-out single.
Tusculum made it a 4-2 game scoring an unearned run in the third inning as Luis Reyes walked, later moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
The Pioneers sent 10 batters to the plate in the six-run, fourth inning as TU used four hits, three walks, one hit batsman and a pair of errors by the Lions as Tusculum jumped out to a 10-2 lead.
MHU scored three times in the sixth inning including a two-out, two-run single by Naran to trim the deficit to 10-5.
Tusculum was held scoreless for the final four innings as the Pioneers left eight runners on base during that span. Both teams would strand 11 runners each on base for the game.
Tusculum will play a non-conference game on Tuesday as the Pioneers travel to King University for a 3:30 p.m. contest.
