GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Lenoir-Rhyne took advantage to seven doubles and four double plays on the day as the 19th-ranked Bears swept a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader at Tusculum Saturday at Eastman Credit Union Field.
Lenoir-Rhyne (32-10-1, 21-8-1 SAC) utilized 18 hits including a 4-for-5 performance by Nathan Kidder to win the first game 12-2. LR pitcher Kellen Gradisar pitched a seven-inning complete game in a 9-1 victory in the night-cap.
The Bears win the weekend series 2-1 while Tusculum (16-29, 10-20 SAC) slipped into a tie for eighth place in the league standings for the final spot in the SAC Tournament postseason with one conference series remaining.
Saturday was also Pack the Park Day at the stadium as 656 fans attended the contest while also celebrating TU's Senior Day as 14 student-athletes were celebrated in pregame ceremonies including: Brice Anderson, Jack Gagen, Julien Jennings, Connor Jurek, Luke Maicon, Scout Martin, Justin Millsaps, Brandon Moore, Caleb Mulcahy, Max Mull, Walker Pedante, Caden Rector, Drew Sliwinski and Noah Vickers.
Game 1: No. 19 Lenoir-Rhyne 12, Tusculum 2
Sylas Boris' two-out three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning propelled Lenoir-Rhyne to a 12-2 win over Tusculum in Saturday's opener.
Boris' round-tripper, his 13th of the season, broke open a close 5-2 contest. LR followed with four runs in the ninth as the Bears secured the victory.
Starting pitcher Michael Joyce (2-1) earned the victory as he went 6.1 innings, scattered four hits, three walks, allowed two unearned runs and struck out five. LR closer Michael Burnley as tossed 2.2 scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts to post his fifth save of 2026.
Joining Kidder in the LR hit-parade were Leyton Lackey and Andrew Stillinger who posted three hits apiece while Seth Christmas, Andrew Muraco, Drew Bears, and Boris had two hits each in the win.
Tusculum finished with seven hits led by Evan Goins' 2-for-3 including his eighth double of the year.
Brice Anders pitched well in his final home start at Tusculum as he went five innings, allowed three runs (two earned), eight hits, one walk and two strikeouts in his 87-pitch performance.
Game 2: No. 19 Lenoir-Rhyne 9, Tusculum 1
Gradisar pitched a seven-inning gem, while Christmas went 3-for-3 in Lenoir-Rhyne's 9-1 win in the series finale.
Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead and got a key three-run homer from Mackenzie Wainwright to put some distance from the Pioneers. It was his team-leading 14th homer of the season and his only hit of the day after going 4-for-4 in Friday's opener.
Beard went 2-for-4 with a triple as six of LR's 10 hits in the game went for extra bases.
Tusculum was held to six hits and a walk by Gradisar who improved to 6-3 on the season.
The Pioneers will close out the home portion of their schedule on Wednesday when they host 20th-ranked Young Harris College for a 4 p.m. contest. TU dropped a close 14-13 decision at Young Harris in last month's meeting.
Tusculum will wrap up the SAC schedule next weekend at Coker College.
