Staff report

SALISBURY — The South Atlantic Conference Tournament announced a change in venue for the South Atlantic Conference Tournament.

The switch was good news for the Catawba Indians, as they’ll be playing a lot closer to home now at Asheboro’s McCrary Park, rather than in the Tennessee mountains.

Catawba (29-9, 17-4) continued its pursuit of the SAC regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed for the tournament over the weekend, with a pitching-dominated sweep of Mars Hill.

Catawba allowed only one run against the struggling Lions (13-25, 4-17), winning 4-1, 11-0 and 4-0, and is now two games ahead of Wingate (23-14, 15-6)  in the SAC standings.

Catawba is ranked 21st in Division II and has won seven in a row.

In Friday’s 4-1 victory, Austin Fine (7-1) pitched into the eighth inning and struck out seven. Brandon Rodgers earned a save.

Dylan Driver had a quiet game for the high-powered offense with a double and two runs scored.

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In the 11-0 romp on Saturday afternoon, Payne Stolsworth (8-1) dominated, striking out 11 and allowing two hits in seven innings.

Driver and Sam Hunter drove in three runs each. Bo Rusher and Cole Hales had two RBIs. Levi Perrell had three hits.

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In the finale, Catawba scored four runs in the third, and that was enough for Hales (3-0), who worked five innings and got relief help from Hayden Simmerson, who didn’t allow a hit in the final two innings.

Driiver and Rusher had two hits apiece. Rusher drove in two runs.

Catawba is 21-1 at Newman Park and welcomes Belmont Abbey at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Catawba will take on Anderson in a weekend series scheduled to start on Friday at 6 p.m.