FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-6-06

College Baseball: No. 16 AASU 9, No. 9 Tusculum 4

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Senior Jarin Lewis’ three-run home run sparked the Armstrong Atlantic baseball squad to a 9-4 victory over No. 9-ranked Tusculum on Monday afternoon at Pirate Field.

AASU (2-0-1) had built a 6-1 lead against the Pioneers (1-2-1) by the sixth inning when Lewis came to the plate with two on against Tusculum lefthander Ben Swaggerty. The left-handed hitting Lewis hit a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall to break open the contest, putting the Pirates up, 9-1.

The Pioneers got back three runs in the top of the seventh inning as three consecutive Tusculum players pounded out hits against AASU reliever David Whitfield and all came around to score, but Whitfield settled down to pitch a scoreless eighth, and Pirate closer Matt Nalutka pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the win.

Seven different Pirates each collected one hit as Truman Marek had an RBI triple and Pete Gundolff notched a double for AASU. Tusculum was led at the plate by Adam Beacham’s two hits, including a double, and Josh Wolff’s two hits.

John Ducey (1-0) hurled four innings of one-hit ball, striking out four to pick up his first win of the season for AASU. Bobby Darling (0-1) hurled 4 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and five runs – four earned – while walking three to take the loss for the Pioneers. Nalutka’s scoreless ninth was his 29th scoreless appearance in 30 career games for AASU.

In the earlier game of the day on Pirate Field, Barry knocked off Tusculum, 8-5, to pick up its first win of the season.

AASU returns to action on Friday, February 10, as the Pirates host North Greenville at 2:00 p.m. at Pirate Field for the first of a three-game set.

- Pirates -