Pioneers Sweep Dyersburg State in Conference Play
By: Timothy M. Reece, Athletic Media Coordinator
Vol State traveled to Dyersburg, TN, on Friday, March 7th, to play a three-game series against the Dyersburg State Eagles in the 4th week of TCCAA conference play. The Eagles had not won a game in conference play, losing their first eight games. The Pioneers had yet to win a series in 2025, entering the series with a 3-5 conference record. At the end of Saturday, Dyersburg still had not won a game in conference play, and Vol State (17-6, 6-5) got the sweep.
Eben Hansen (SO-RHP) got another conference series, game 1 start for Vol State and delivered his longest outing of the year: 6 innings of 5 hit, 2 run baseball, with 4 walks, and 5 K's. Hansen (2-1) left with a 3-2 lead. Carter Waltz (SO-LHP) pitched a scoreless 7th, picking up a couple K's while allowing a hit and a walk. Drew Morehead (FR-RHP) came on in the 8th inning, and finished the game. He collected his 5th Save, giving up 2 hits, a run, a walk, and striking out 4.
Dyersburg State took the lead with 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. The Pioneer offense scored 3 runs in the top of the 6th inning and added another run in the top of the 7th, to take a 4-2 lead. The Eagles scored one run in the bottom of the 9th, but Morehead shut the door to give Vol State the 4-3 win. Scotty Dean (SO-DH) and Hudson Blank (FR-3B) had 2 hits each, with one of Blank's being a double. Blank also picked up an RBI, as did Reed Muschinsky (R/SO-RF). Lex Falsone (SO-C) went 1-4 with 2 RBI's.
In game 2, Vol State scored early and then had to come from behind to get the 7-6 victory over Dyersburg. The Pioneers scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st and a single run in the 2nd, to take a 4-1 lead. The Eagles, however, scored 2 runs in the 3rd and 3 in the 5th inning to take a 6-4 advantage. A 3-run 6th inning put Vol State ahead, 7-6, and Drew Morehead was called on again to seal the deal and give the series win to the Pioneers. Morehead earned his 6th Save of the year, and third consecutive Save in 3 games. The 6 Saves is the most by a Vol State Pitcher since Antonio Costas (Smyrna, TN) accomplished the feat in the 2018 season for Coach Ryan Hunt (now Head Coach at Cumberland University).
Chip Harris (SO-RHP) and Brady Davis (FR-RHP) threw the first 4 1/3 innings and Parker White (3-0) came on in the 5th inning to get the final 2 outs, and pitched a scoreless 6th inning to pick up the Win. Reed Muschinsky, Easton Denning (FR-1B), and Hudson Blank collected two hits each, with Muschinsky's being a double and a triple, and Denning's being both doubles. Muschinsky had 3 RBI's, Denning drove in 2 runners, and Blank knocked in 1 run. Drew Plummer (R/SO-2B), who went 1-4, scored 3 times, to bring his team-leading total to 24 runs scored.
In the final game of the series, Vol State came out swinging, scoring 7 runs in the 1st inning and 2 in the 3rd inning, to run out to a 9-0 lead, on their way to a 13-2 victory. Dyersburg State scored their only 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th off of starter Jack McLaury (SO-RHP), who went 4 innings for the victory. McLaury (4-1) gave up 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2 batters. Caden Blackford (R/SO-RHP) picked up his first collegiate save by throwing 3 innings of 2-hit, shutout baseball. Blackford did not walk a batter and struck out 2.
Vol State collected 11 hits and were aided by 8 walks by Eagles pitching. Drew Plummer went 2-3, with 3 runs scored, 2 walks, and an RBI; Easton Denning was 2-4 with a walk and 2 RBI's, which gave him a team high 28 RBI's on the season; Gage Hoover (SO-LF) went 3-4, with 2 runs scored, a walk, and 2 RBI's; Devin Thrain (R/SO-CF) was 2-5 with 2 RBI's; and Hudson Blank had a triple, a run scored, a walk, and an RBI.
The Pioneer's upcoming schedule has doubleheaders against two northern teams (Kishwaukee College and Alpena Community College) on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.