GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum's Alejandro Ponte recorded four hits on the day, while Brice Anders pitched 5.1 strong innings as the Pioneers split a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Eastman Credit Union Field & Pioneer Park.
In Saturday's first game, the Trojans scored five runs in the seventh inning to rally to a 7-5 win over the Pioneers.
In the second contest, Tusculum (5-9, 1-5 SAC) scored in each of the first five innings to take a 7-0 lead en route to a 7-3 victory.
Anderson (10-4, 2-4 SAC) wins the weekend series 2-1, while Tusculum's win snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Game 1: Anderson 7, Tusculum 5
Braeden Harrison's three-run homer highlighted a five-run frame as Anderson overcame a 4-1 deficit to capture a 7-5 win in Saturday's opening game.
AU reliever Luke Godwin pitched four shutout innings to pick up the win, while closer Asthon Shackelford ran into trouble in the ninth, but got a pair of strikeouts including one with the bases loaded as the Trojans held on for a two-run victory.
Tusculum scored a run each in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. Mason Johnson led off the second with a single and moved to second on a bunt. After a fly out, Jack Gagen came through with a RBI single as the Pioneers led 1-0.
In the third inning, Landon Dockery led off with a base hit and moved to third on Ryan Ortega's double. Ponte drove in Docker from third with fly out in foul territory in left as the lead swelled to 2-0.
AU's Myles Denton hit a two-out solo home run to left, his third round-tripper of the season as the Trojans trailed 2-1.
Tusculum answered immediately with two runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to Ponte's RBI single to bring home Caden Rector from second. On the play, there was a fielding error in the outfield which allowed Dockery to score from first base as the Pioneers led 4-1.
Anderson got a two-out single from Adams Faucett to make it a 4-2 game.
TU starter Walker Pedante pitched effectively into the seventh before giving up a single and a walk to start the inning. Aidan Sproles took over and surrendered a RBI double to Dylan Dampier. Riley Matthew followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4.
With one-out and two runners aboard, Harrison took Sproles deep over the left field wall as Anderson took its first lead of the contest at 7-4.
Godwin worked around base hits in the seventh and eighth innings before turning over the mound to Shackelford in the ninth.
Dockery lined out hard to right field before Ortega doubled to the gap to get aboard. Ponte and Kolby Watson were hit by back-to-back pitches to load the bases. Shackelford got a strikeout looking for the second out. But during Steve Scarfone's at-bat, a balk was called as Ortega scored from third. Scarfone would walk to load the bases again and put the winning run on base. But Shackelford ended the game with a strikeout of Evan Goins.
Dockery went 3-for-5 for the Pioneers, while Ponte had two hits and two RBI.
Godwin (1-0) went 4.0 shutout innings, scattered two hits and posted six strikeouts.
Pedante had a quality start as he went 6.0 innings, allowed four runs, four hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Sproles (0-1) would be charged with the loss.
Tusculum reliever Coopery Emery pitched 2.2 hitless innings where he notched a strikeout.
Game 2: Tusculum 7, Anderson 3
Tusculum recorded nine hits including four of the extra-base variety as the Pioneers prevailed 7-3.
TU scored three runs in the first inning and added a run each in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-0 lead.
Meanwhile Anders blanked the Trojans for the first five innings including the side in order in the second, third and fifth innings.
In the first inning, Tusculum got a two-out, two-run single by Jack Gagen to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. Evan Cage would follow with a RBI single as TU led 3-0.
Jake Trottier recorded his first collegiate hit with a triple down the right field line. He would later score on Ortega's ground out to up the lead to 4-0.
In the TU third, Scarfone led off with a single and moved to third when Cage reached on a two-out error. Goins would line a single off the pitcher to score Scarfone as the Pioneers led 5-0.
Ortega hit a solo homer in the fourth and Goins had a two-out RBI double in the fifth for a 7-0 lead.
Anders recorded the first out of the sixth inning, but hit Adam Faucett with a pitch as Christian Ponte took over on the mound. Matthews singled and Harrison drew a walk to load the bases. Ponte got Levi Medford to ground into a fielder's choice as the out was recorded at second base, but the throw to third was errant as two runs crossed the plate to make it a 7-2 contest. After walk, Ponte ended the inning with a strikeout.
Anderson scored a run in the seventh on Matthews' RBI single, but Ponte ended the game on a pop up.
Anders (2-2) went 5.1 innings, allowed one run on two hits, zero walks and five strikeouts in his 86-pitch performance.
Tusculum returns to action next weekend as they travel to Wingate for a three-game SAC series beginning with Friday's opener.
