Late Rally Pushes Pioneers to Weekend Sweep Over Wingate

Chris Waylock Hits the Go-Ahead Two-Run Single in the Bottom of the 8th

Tusculum Sports LogoTusculum College scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit and claim a 5-3 victory over the visitors from Wingate University in South Atlantic Conference baseball action at Pioneer Park on Sunday afternoon. The victory secured a three-game weekend sweep of the Bulldogs.

It was also Tusculum’s seventh-straight win and improved its overall record to 11-6 and its conference mark to 9-3. Chris Waylock had the go-ahead two-run single for the Pioneers as part of a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.

TC senior righty Michael Scott (2-1) was credited with the victory on the mound after pitching three innings in relief, in which he gave up just one earned run and struck out two. Wingate (13-6, 9-6 SAC) reliever Tyler Brown (3-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs and two walks in just an inning and a half of work.

In the bottom of the third, Tusculum loaded the bases after Jeovanny Tolentino reached on an error, and Nick Rodriguez and J.J. Wesley recorded back-to-back bunt singles. Jalen Shuffler grounded into a double play in the next at-bat, but Tolentino came home to score to give TC a 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers held the one-run advantage for the next two innings, but the Bulldogs’ Shane Billings opened the top of the sixth inning with a solo homerun to left center to tie the game at 1-1. Wingate threatened later in the inning with a runner at second, but TC starter Ethan Carpenter induced two-straight flyouts to close out the frame.

WU pushed its second run across in the top of the seventh inning after loading the bases and scoring on a wild pitch by Scott. Trailing 2-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth, TC opened the inning by drawing two-straight walks off Brown and then loaded the bases on a bunt single by Andrew Bowerman.

Pinch-hitter Jim Tolle stepped into the box and hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Shuffler and tie the game at two. In the next-at bat, Waylock hit a line drive over the head of Bulldog third baseman Blake Price, which scored Bowerman and Creighton Wilke and gave TC a 4-2 lead. Travis Winnon added an insurance run for the Pioneers later in the inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Waylock, and Tusculum headed to the top of the ninth with a 5-2 lead.

Wingate scored a run in the final frame off a one-out single by Prince. However, Scott struck out Bill Krebs and induced a flyout by Billings to seal the Pioneer victory.

Carpenter pitched six innings for TC and gave up five hits and just two earned runs with two strikeouts in the no decision. Rodriguez and Wesley each had a pair of hits, while Wilke recorded a base knock and drew a walk.

Tusculum is scheduled to be back in action on Thursday, March 12, in a non-conference tilt against Lander University at Pioneer Park. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

Source: Chris Waylock Hits the Go-Ahead Two-Run Single in the Bottom of the 8th