Salisbury, N.C. — The 11th-ranked Catawba College baseball team made its 2026 debut inside Newman Park on Friday, starting off their South Atlantic Conference season 1-0 with a 7-0 shutout win over Tusculum.

TEAM STATISTICS

- Catawba out-hit Tusculum 14-8

- The Catawba Indians hit five of six extra-base hits

- The Pioneers recorded both errors in the game

- Catawba had three of four stolen bases in the contest

- The Catawba Indian pitchers threw nine shutouts innings on eight hits and four walks, striking out seven; Tusculum's staff allowed seven runs on 14 hits and three walks, striking out six

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

- Colt Wilkins threw seven shutout innings for the win, allowing just five hits and four walks with five strikeouts

- Braeden Major tossed two scoreless frames to close the door, striking out a pair

- Sam Hunter was 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored

- Brandon Crabtree added three hits including a double, an RBI and two runs scored

- Matthew Connolly also had three hits including a double

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST INNING

- Hunter started off Catawba's offense at home in 2026 with a double to right-center

- Hunter Atkins reached on an error, but got the RBI anyway to go up 1-0

THIRD INNING

- Two singles and a bunt put runners on second and third with one out

- A wild pitch scored Crabtree to make it 2-0

- Connolly ripped an RBI single the other way to lead 3-0

SIXTH INNING

- Malachi Cloud singled, advanced on a bunt and stole third

- Hunter drove him home on a single to make it 4-0

- Crabtree's RBI double the other way pushed Catawba's lead to five

EIGHTH INNING

- Nathan Chrismon cued a two-out, two-run triple down the left field line in the bottom of the eighth, adding to Catawba's lead, now 7-0

UP NEXT

- Catawba and Tusculum return to Newman Park to finish off the opening series of league play; first pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.