GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Owen Mandler recorded a pair of sacrifice flies, including one in the sixth inning which would drive in the eventual winning run as Seton Hill edged Tusculum 3-2 Monday afternoon at Pioneer Park.
The Griffins (5-1) record its fourth consecutive victory while completing the three-game weekend sweep over the Pioneers (3-11).
SHU starter Ian Korn pitched five solid innings where he allowed one run on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts to improve to 2-0 on the season. Reliever Christian Zilli pitched a pair of shutout innings for the visitors, while Zach Herb tossed the final two frames and retired the ninth inning in order to secure his first save of the year.
Tusculum starter Philip Miller (0-3) pitched his finest outing as a Pioneer as he went five innings, allowed two runs on two hits, three walks and five strikeouts. Reliever Cooper Emery tossed four fabulous innings where he scattered two hits, one walk, allowed an unearned run and posted three strikeouts in his 48-pitch effort. Emery six straight to keep the Griffins within striking distance.
In the first inning, Seton Hill’s Brady McGuire led off the game with a double and scored on Owen Henne’s RBI single. Mandler was hit by a pitch and Henne stole third to put runners on the corners with no outs. Colin Ahr would strike out looking and on the play Mandler and Henne attempted a double steal, Mandler broke for second and the ensuing throw was intercepted by TU shortstop Ben Scartz. Scartz threw to home and Henne was called out at the plate for a strike-them-out, throw-them-out double play. Miller would give up a walk, but would get out of the inning with a fly out to keep the deficit at 1-0.
Scartz would lead off the bottom of the first with his third double of the season. After a ground out moved him to third, Omar Carerras laced a liner to the gap in right, but SHU center fielder Jack Whalen made a sensational catch for the second out of the inning. Scartz was able to tag up and score the game-tying run, but Whalen’s catch limited what could have been a big inning for the Pioneers.
In the top of the third inning, McGuire led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third base. Mandler would step up and fly out to center which would be deep enough to score McGuire from third as the Griffins led 2-1.
With Emery taking over for Miller on the mound in the sixth, Henne would draw a leadoff walk. A failed pickoff attempt at first allowed Henne to move all the way to third base. Mandler would take advantage of the miscue and drove in his second RBI with another sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Carreras reached on a one-out single down the left field line. He moved to second on Justin Millsaps‘ single and freshman Ryan Ortega followed with a RBI single to left as Carreras scored to make it a 3-2 contest. Avery Collins hit into a fielder’s choice as Ortega was tagged out at second and Millsaps moved onto first base. Herb would end the threat when he struck out Schmarder for the final out of the inning and preserve the one-run lead.
Tusculum out-hit Seton Hill 6-4 as the Pioneers left eight runners on base, while the Griffins stranded three base runners.
The Pioneers will travel to King University on Tuesday for a 2 p.m. contest in Bristol.
