GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Tusculum College scored three unearned runs in the sixth inning as the Pioneers took a 6-3 non-conference baseball decision over Young Harris College Wednesday (April 3) afternoon at Pioneer Park.
The Pioneers improved to 22-13 while the Mountain Lions saw their four-game winning streak snapped as they fell to 15-16. Young Harris returns to action this weekend with a three-game Peach Belt Conference series at Zell B. Miller Field against cross-mountain rival University of North Georgia that starts Saturday (April 6) with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
With the score tied at 3, the Pioneers used a throwing error by Dom Wyshinski in the sixth inning to score three times off reliever Taylor Topping (1-3). Tripper Crisson broke the tie with his bases-loaded fielder's choice. The Pioneer added valuable insurance runs when Cade Stallings followed with a two-run double to left-center field.
Young Harris had tied the game at 3 with a three-run fourth inning. After Jack Morrow and Wyshinski started the inning by drawing back-to-back walks, Morrow moved up 90 feet to third after a failed pickoff attempt. Tom Valichka drove in the first run on a squeeze bunt. Zach Bricknell, who was a triple short of the cycle, followed with a two-run homer to right field. It was Bricknell's Peach Belt-leading 10th homer of 2013.
T.J. Miller (3-1) earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of four-hit relief pitching. John-Austin Shephard earned his eighth save as he got the final five outs, including three on strikeouts.
Bricknell led the Mountain Lions with three hits while Trey Rogers, David Atwood and Tom Valichka each registered two hits apiece as Young Harris outhit Tusculum 10-9.
