MILLINGTON, Tenn. — The Three Rivers College baseball team stopped a four-game losing streak Tuesday by sweeping a doubleheader from the Southwest Tennessee Saluqis, taking the opener 5-0 and the nightcap 7-4.
The Raiders pick up wins No. 29 and 30 on the season and are 30-19 with one week left in the regular season. More than that, head coach Tyler Smith earns career win No. 100.
TRC got a strong pitching performance from Hayden Cuthbertson and Tyler Vincent in the opener, as the duo combined on a four-hit shutout.
Cuthbertson started and went four innings, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out six, then Vincent tossed three innings of one-hit, five-strikeout ball to close out the contest.
The Raiders got on the board in the top of the second inning when Eli Marvin tripled, then later scored on Grant Fitch's groundball to make it 1-0.
Mason Krznarich made it 2-0 in the top of the third inning when he singled home Manny Alberto, then Marvin made it 3-0 when he hit a sacrifice flyball that scored Trey Fikes.
Grant Fitch scored on a Brady Robertson groundball in the top of the sixth inning to make it 4-0, then Krznarich singled home Alberto in the top of the seventh to set the final score.
Alberto and Krznarich each had a pair of hits, while Krznarich drove in two runs.
In the nightcap, the Saluqis led 3-2 after four innings when Three Rivers rallied to take the lead in the top of the fifth. Peyton Nelson scored on an error to tie the score, then Krznarich singled home Fikes to put TRC in front 4-3. Krznarich later scored on a bases-loaded walk to Brady Robertson to cap the rally.
After Southwest Tennessee got back within a run (5-4) in the bottom of the fifth inning, Krznarich hit a two-run homer with two out on a full count to score Fikes and give the Raiders a three-run lead.
Nelson had three hits in the game, while Krznarich added two hits and drove in three runs.
Ty Thatcher tossed two innings in relief of starter Caden Crask-Weeks to earn the win, while Jaden Anderson pitched the final two innings to earn the save.
The Raiders host Crowder Saturday and Sunday for a four-game series. First pitch Saturday is set for noon.
Mike Buhler - Daily American Republic