FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 2-1-02

College Baseball: No. 18 AASU 12, Tusculum 5

SAVANNAH, Ga. – No. 18-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State pounded out 16 hits and 12 runs in defeating visiting Tusculum, 12-5, in the first of a four-game collegiate baseball series at Pirate Field on Friday.

The Pirates (4-0) took an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run from senior Kirk Nordness in the bottom of the second inning, but the Pioneers (0-1) tied it up with a solo shot by Michael Holt in the top of the third. AASU would plate runs in each of the next six innings en route to the victory, the fourth game of the season in which the Pirates scored 10 or more runs.

Junior Josh Smith (1-0) entered the game in the fifth inning and gave up one unearned run in 1 1/3 innings to pick up his first victory of the season for AASU. Junior Jeremy Olson hurled three innings of shutout relief, giving up just two hits while striking out four, to pick up his second save of the early year. Tusculum starter Steven Ferguson (0-1) was tagged for 11 hits and nine runs in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.

The 1-4 hitters in the order for the Pirates - sophomore Chris Dentler, sophomore Stacy Bennett, senior Matt Easterwood and senior Kirk Nordness - each collected three hits on the day, while senior Casey Taylor led the Pioneers with two hits and two RBI.

The Pirates and the Pioneers continue their four-game series on Saturday, February 2 with an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader at Pirate Field.

- Pirates -