Tusculum Beats Wingate 5-3 in Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Kevin Hammons tossed seven strong innings and closer Mat Galen got the save in the ninth inning as the top-seed Tusculum College defeated sixth-seeded Wingate University 5-3 on Thursday afternoon in the first game of the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament at Municipal Stadium in Greenville, S.C.

Hammons, the leagues Pitcher of the Year, gave up only three hits while striking out eight Bulldog batters and moved to 8-1 on the season. Galens got the last two outs of the ninth to pick up his fifth save of the season.

The Pioneers (42-10) scored a run in the second with a RBI groundout by Aaron Hudgins.

Tusculum would score two runs in the third to go up 3-0. Carlos Rivera led off with a single to center, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and promptly stole third. SAC Player of the Year Maikol Gonzalez drove Rivera in with a single up the middle. Matt Webb would drive Gonzalez in from third with a sacrifice fly, to give the Pioneers a three-run lead.

Tusculum extended their lead 5-0 in the fourth. Paul Finger and Aaron Porter each had singles to lead off the frame. After Finger scored on a wild pitch, catcher Christian Rosa drove in Porter with a single through the left side.

Wingate (22-29) would cut the Pioneer lead to three runs at 5-2 in the fifth. Michael Parker led off with a single to left-center and later scored on a RBI single by Aaron Knowles. Grayson Tanner would drive in a run with a safety squeeze to plate Shaughn Neal.

In the Wingate ninth, Josh Benton walked and Jay Barnes reached base safely on a throwing error by Finger at third. After a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, Parker would drive home Benton with an RBI groundout to second. With the tying run at first and only one out, Galens struck out Spencer Robinson and got pinch-hitter Trey McMenamin to fly out to left-center to end the game.

Porter led Tusculum at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance. Knowles, Parker, and Tanner each drove in runs for the Bulldogs.

Wingate starter Lee Oxendine (2-6) received the loss, going seven innings and allowing only three runs.

Wingate will face the loser of the Carson-Newman/Newberry game tomorrow in an elimination game at 12 noon. Tusculum will face the loser of the Catawba/Lenoir-Rhyne game, which will be played on Friday at 3:45 p.m.