PULASKI, Tenn. – Tennessee Southern closed its weekend series with the University of Saint Francis in emphatic fashion Sunday afternoon, erupting early and pulling away for a 13–3 victory at Bobby Walker Field.

The Firehawks wasted no time setting the tone in the bottom of the first. Carson Foote and Anthony Pastrana drew back-to-back walks before Zac Wilson lined a two-run single to left-center to open the scoring. Devin Thrain worked a walk and Reagan Tomlin reached to keep the inning alive, and Evan Nelson drew a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to three. Zach Chaney followed with a two-run double down the right-field line, and Masato Mizumori lifted a sacrifice fly to cap a six-run opening frame.

Tennessee Southern added another run in the second when Pastrana singled and came all the way around to score on an errant throw to first, extending the advantage to 7–0.

Saint Francis trimmed the margin in the fourth and fifth innings, but the Firehawks answered in the fourth. Wilson singled and Cooper Phillips doubled down the right-field line to put runners at second and third. Thrain delivered a sacrifice fly to score Wilson and make it 8–2.

The decisive blow came in the sixth. Pastrana reached on an error and Wilson followed with a single before Collin Perkins entered as a pinch runner and swiped second. After Thrain reached and Tomlin walked to load the bases, Nelson delivered the highlight of the afternoon — a grand slam down the left-field line that bounced off the top of the wall and ricocheted off the foul pole, pushing the lead to 13–3.

Wilson paced the offense, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Nelson finished with five RBIs on his grand slam and a bases-loaded walk. Pastrana scored three times and reached base twice, while Thrain drove in a run, scored twice, and added a stolen base. Chaney doubled and drove in two, Phillips added a double, and Mizumori collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly. Perkins also added a stolen base and scored during the sixth-inning surge.

On the mound, Cooper Bailey delivered a complete-game performance, scattering six hits over seven innings while allowing three runs and striking out three to improve to 2–0 on the season.

Tennessee Southern returns to action Tuesday, February 24, hosting Oakwood for a twin bill.

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