The Rust College baseball program obtained a huge conference series victory over A.I.I. and GCAC rival Tougaloo College, splitting the first two games before claiming the rubber match.
Tougaloo took a high-scoring affair in game one (13-12), Rust used a five-run sixth in game two to pull away (12-4) and the guys from Holly Springs took the rubber match by staving off a late Bulldog rally (11-9).
Rust (6-3, 2-1 A.I.I.) averaged 11.7 runs per game during the three-game weekend series and is on pace for its best season since 2007.
The Baseball Bearcats continue to be a nightmare for opposing battery mates, averaging seven steals per game against the Bulldogs with 12 coming in game one alone.
Leading the way in the steals department this weekend was Jordan Robinson (4) and Saul Gonzalez (4), Jalin Thomas and Maury Weaver both had three, Calvin Butler and Darrien Chapman swiped two bags while Tremaine Callaway, Dreylin Holmes and William Teague each provided one.
Dreylin Holmes had the series of his life, posting a batting average of 0.643, a staggering nine RBIs, three doubles, a triple, and a stolen base against the Bulldogs.
Sieas Elliot hit the squad’s first home run of the year to go along with two doubles in game two, lacing another two-bagger in the finale, brought home two runs and went 6-for-11 (0.545) at the dish.
William Teague logged three extra base hits, two doubles and a triple all in game two. He finished second on the club in RBIs (4) behind Holmes for the series.
Seven separate Rust batters logged multiple RBIs and four more had one, five Bearcats had at least one double and three student-athletes from the home nine smacked triples.
On the mound for the Blue and White, Cullen Odom (2-1) flashed top of the rotation potential, punching out seven Bulldogs over 6.2 innings while surrendering three earned runs to pick up the victory in game two.
Alfred King Jr. (1-0) made his collegiate debut for the Bearcats in game three, hurling 2.2 spotless innings to earn the win.
Brytan Sampson appeared in games one and three with vastly differing roles. Game one saw him throw two full frames, getting five of the six recorded outs via strikeout. Game two required just one pitch to get the job done, inducing a lazy fly ball to right to pick up the save.
Tougaloo (2-5, 1-2 A.I.I.) put together 17 walks, eight doubles, hit a collective 0.343 as a club and received a home run from Tyler Hickman.
Lanacus Hudson was consistently finding holes in the Rust defense, going 6-of-10 (0.600) while reaching base seven times and scoring five runs.
Bradford Patton was the run producer for TC, bringing in six ribbies while being the only visitor with multiple doubles.
La’Nas Terry was a terror when he got on base, going a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts and scoring on five of his seven successful tries to reach safely.
Tougaloo still maintains the all-time series lead by a count of 12-5.
The Baseball Bearcats will look to keep its hot streak rolling when it travels to the NCAA Division II’s Lane College for a matinee doubleheader at 12 and 3 p.m.
Courtesy of Rust College Sports Information Department