SALISBURY, N.C. --- Catawba got stellar pitching performances in both games as the 11th-ranked Catawba Indians swept a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader over visiting Tusculum Saturday afternoon at Newman Park.
Catawba (7-1, 3-0 SAC) completes the weekend series sweep over the Pioneers (4-6, 0-3 SAC) who have lost four in a row.
The Catawba Indians got a 3-for-5 performance from Brandon Crabtree in the opener as the hosts prevailed, 6-3. In the series finale, pitchers Casey Gouge, Zachary Gaydos and Joe Burleyson combined on a four-hit shutout as Catawba won 7-0. The Indians won Friday's series opener with a 7-0 win over Tusculum.
Game 1: No. 11 Catawba 6, Tusculum 3
Catawba scored four runs in the first inning including a two-run singe by Matthew Connolly as the Indians won the first game 6-3.
The Pioneers took its first lead of the weekend as Ryan Ortega hit a RBI single to drive in Landon Dockery as Tusculum led 1-0.
In the bottom of the inning, Catawba responded with four runs on four hits and two hit batters to go up 4-1.
Tusculum answered in the third when Dockery hit a solo shot to center as the Pioneers trailed 4-2.
Catawba scored a run each in the fourth and fifth frames to go up 6-2. In the fourth, Connolly recorded his third RBI of the game with his two-out single which drove TU starter Walker Pedante out of the game. In the fifth, Sam Hunter hit a two-out, RBI double to the left center to bring home Ty Hubbard.
In the top of the eighth, Evan Goins reached on a one-out walk and moved to second when pinch-hitter Kolby Watson lined a single to put runners on the corners. Alejandro Ponte would drive home Goins from third with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Evan Cage had a pinch-hit single to bring the tying run to the plate. But pitcher Seth Sharpe got out of the jam with a fly out as Catawba led 6-3.
Catawba reliever Calvin Douglas worked around a walk and a hit batter in the ninth as he posted three strikeouts in the frame to record the save.
Catawba starter Kemper Nix (1-0) picked up the victory as he went 5.0 innings, allowed two runs on three hits, three walks and recorded five strikeouts.
Pedante (1-1) suffered his first loss of the year as he went 3.2 innings, allowed five runs on seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts. TU reliever Aidan Sproles tossed 4.1 strong innings as he allowed one run on two hits, zero walks and three strikeouts.
The Tribe finished with nine hits in the game while Tusculum was held to five hits.
Game 2: No. 11 Catawba 7, Tusculum 0
Gouge tossed five shutout innings as he worked around four hits and two walks as Catawba won 7-0 to complete the series sweep over Tusculum.
Gouge retired the first seven batters of the game in order and faced the minimum through three frames as he gave up a one-out single in the third before getting a double play to end the inning.
Meanwhile, the Catawba bats scored three runs each in the first and third innings and added a single tally in the second as the Indians led 7-0.
In Catawba's three-run first inning, the Indians posted four hits, including a two-run single by Logan Dyer and a RBI hit off the bat of Parker Styborski. Hunter Atkins added a single in the second, while Sam Hunter belted a three-run double in the third.
Tusculum had its best scoring chance in the fourth when Dockery led off with a double, Caden Rector walked and Nate Davidson legged out a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. But Gouge got a strikeout and an inning-ending double play to end the threat.
TU's Keygan Miksa led off the fifth with a double, but he would be stranded there.
Gaydos pitched a perfect sixth inning on four pitches while Burleyson ended the game on four pitches in the seventh as he retired TU in order.
Tusculum starter Brice Anders (1-2) pitched 2.2 innings as he allowed seven runs on seven hits and three walks. Christian Ponte pitched well in relief as he tossed 3.1 shutout innings as he scattered three hits and a walk in his 34-pitch performance.
Tusculum will begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday when they host Trevecca Nazarene for a 3 p.m. contest at Eastman Credit Union Field and Pioneer Park.
