Saturday, February 23, 2008

NO. 27 TUSCULUM SWEEPS SAC PAIR OVER LMU

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Matt Ford went 3-for-6 on the day, including his second home run of the season as No. 27 Tusculum College swept a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader over visiting Lincoln Memorial University Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Park. Tusculum (7-5, 2-3 SAC) got a stellar pitching effort by Raymond Ruggles (1-1) in a 7-2 win in the opener, while Carlos Rivera went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs in a 7-4 victory in the night-cap.

Game 1: No. 27 Tusculum 7, Lincoln Memorial 2

Ruggles tossed a nine-inning complete game effort to pace Tusculum to a 7-2 win in Tusculum home opener of 2008. Ruggles scattered nine hits, allowed two runs, walked none and struck out three.

Tusculum got two hits each by Maikol Gonzalez, Christian Rosa, Sean Cotten and Ford, while Rosa and Ford each drove in two RBI.

LMU’s TeWayne Willis had a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, while Casey Sedley also had two hits, including his solo home run in the ninth.

LMU starter Brett Vaughn (1-1) suffered the loss as he went 7.1 innings, allowed eight hits, seven runs, three earned, walked three and six strikeouts.

Game 2: No. 27 Tusculum 7, Lincoln Memorial 4

In the second game, Tusculum jumped out to a 6-2 lead and Carlos Ortiz came on the sixth inning to squash a LMU (10-8, 2-3 SAC) threat as the Pioneers prevailed 7-4.

Rivera and Matt Webb each went 2-for-3 at the plate as TC starter Max Keleher (1-1) was victorious in his first start in a Pioneer uniform.

Shane Kaufman went 2-for-3 for LMU, including three RBI and a double.

The series concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game at Pioneer Park. Tusculum has won its last 14 home games, dating back to last season.

- TC -