GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - - Tusculum pitchers fanned 20 UVA Wise hitters over the course of Sunday's doubleheader as the Pioneers won game one 10-4 before prevailing 6-1 in the nightcap to win the three-game series 2-to-1. The Cavaliers won the opening game of the series Friday 11-8 before rain prevented the two schools from playing Saturday.

Game one saw Tusculum (10-3, 2-1 SAC) bust open a one-run game with a four-run fourth frame thanks to a two-out grand slam off the bat of Tyler Ranel. It would be the first of two homers in the game for Ranel who added an inside-the-park home run in the seventh inning.

UVA Wise (4-12, 1-2 SAC) received a single RBI each from Hunter Meador, Evan Stanley and Justin Reed while plating a fourth run on a wild pitch.

On the mound, Pioneers' hurler Seth Willis fanned nine over 6 2/3 innings of work while scattering five hits and allowing two runs.

Cole Harness reached base four times in the loss with two hits and two walks while Reed lined a pair of hits.

The second game saw Tusculum breakthrough in the home third when Ranel scored on a Ben Scartz RBI double.

An inning later, Will Samuelson and Ranel each had an RBI hit as the Pioneers went ahead 3-0.

UVA Wise would get on the board in the sixth when Harness and Meador lined back-to-back doubles to make it a two-run affair.

It would be as close as Brandon Costa's team would get as Billy Quinn would retire the next six hitters to secure the win and pick up his second save of 2023.

Tusculum received some insurance in the sixth on a squeeze bunt from Kaden Swaim and a two-run single by Scartz to provide the winning margin of 6-1.

Brady Salyards earned the pitching win by striking out seven over five innings and allowing a run while surrendering seven hits.

Harness doubled twice in the defeat with DJ Dickson also picking up two hits.

UVA Wise is back in action next weekend at Concord.