SAC Baseball Championship Day Two Recaps

No. 5 Tusculum 8, No. 6 Anderson 6 (10 innings)

FOREST CITY, N.C. -- Heath Comerford doubled home a pair of runs in the top of the 10th as Tusculum survived elimination with an 8-6 win over Anderson on Friday afternoon at the 2014 Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament at McNair Field. The Pioneers improve to 27-20 and will face another elimination game on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Anderson falls to 19-32 and is eliminated from the tournament with its second loss.

Billy Sivyer (3-3) earned the win for Tusculum in relief with four shutout innings. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out four. T.J. Miller tossed the 10th and got out of a bases-loaded jam to earn his second save.

Comerford drove in three runs for the Pioneers, while Andrew Bowerman scored three runs. He scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to tie the game at 6-all.

Brett Cash and Jonathan Zalud each had three hits for Anderson. The Trojans trailed 5-2 in the fifth, but rallied to take a 6-5 lead in the sixth on a two-run double by Josh Hickman.

No. 4 Newberry 10, No. 1 Catawba 7

FOREST CITY, N.C. – Newberry rallied late from a 5-0 deficit to knock off top-seeded Catawba 10-7 on Friday afternoon at the 2014 Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament at McNair Field. The Wolves avoid elimination, improving to 30-22, and will face Tusculum in an elimination game on Saturday at 3:45. Catawba, now 29-17, will play an elimination game on Saturday at noon.

Newberry trailed 5-0 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when the Wolves put together four straight hits to plate a pair of runs and chase Catawba starter John Tuttle. After another single, Ryan Cranmer put Newberry on top with a pinch-hit, three-run homer.

The Wolves added three insurance runs in the eighth and held off a Catawba rally in the ninth to stay alive. Jake Nidiffer (6-2) picked up the win in relief, working the final two and two-thirds innings.

Newberry pounded out 17 hits in the win. Jermale Page, JoJo Bradley, Mitchell Griffin and D.J. Martinez all had three hits for the Wolves. Albert Baur had two hits and two RBI.

Paul Kronenfeld had three hits for Catawba. Malichi Hanes had a pair of doubles.

No. 2 Wingate 6, No. 3 Lincoln Memorial 2

FOREST CITY, N.C. -- Wingate remains as the lone unbeaten team remaining at the 2014 Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament after a 6-2 win over Lincoln Memorial on Friday night at McNair Field. The Bulldogs improve to 30-14 and will play again on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. LMU falls to 27-16-1 and will face Catawba in an elimination game on Saturday at noon.

Olin Little improved to 10-1 for the Bulldogs with a complete game 145-pitch performance. He allowed a pair of runs off seven hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts.

Wingate trailed 2-1 in the fifth before scoring three runs to take the lead for good. Eric Serra doubled home two runs to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 edge then scored on a double play groundout. Wingate added two insurance runs in the seventh on singles by Josh Clark and Brad Cherry.

Thomas Spitz was the lone Bulldog with two hits and Serra had two RBI. Shane Billings and Justin Somers scored twice.

Zac Butler (4-5) took the loss for LMU. He went seven innings and allowed six runs (five earned) off nine hits with four strikeouts. Scott Miller and Kelvin Brito each had two hits for LMU.