BURLINGTON, N.C. – No. 9/14 Shenandoah University opened the 2010 USA South Conference baseball Tournament with a 5-2 victory over sixth-seeded Averett Thursday afternoon.

Shenandoah (30-6) reaches the 30-win plateau for the second consecutive year and the third time in school history with the win over Averett (23-16). The win is the seventh straight for the Hornets.

SU moves on in the winner's bracket to face the winner of the second-seeded Methodist vs seventh-seeded Greensboro game. This game will be played at 10 a.m. Friday morning at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

AU is sent into the loser's bracket, where it will face the MU/GC loser at 9 a.m. Friday on Elon University's field in an elimination game.

The Hornets started fast against Cougars starter Chase Hall (3-2), scoring two runs on three hits in the first inning.

Kevin Brashears and Jon Holcomb opened with singles to left and right, respectively, before Jesse Henry drove home Brashears with a single through the right side.

Following a Greg Van Sickler fly out to right center, Holcomb came home on a steal-stop play in which Henry was retired 2-4-3-6.

Averett tied it with single runs in the second and fourth, the latter a Jake Loye solo shot, before Shenandoah scored one of its own in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good.

SU scored that winning run without the benefit of a hit. Mike Smith, who led the victors with three hits in four at-bats, reached on a fielder's choice following an error and moved to third when Hall tossed a pickoff throw well wide of first base.

Two pitches later, Hall uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Smith to come home with the eventual winning run.

The Hornets added two more unearned runs, in the sixth and eighth, to provide the final margin of victory.

Senior Jake Yocum (5-0) tossed the first 6 1/3 to earn the win. He allowed two runs on six hits and one walk before turning it over to Patrick Moore with a runner on first in the seventh.

Moore, a southpaw, was brought on to face Adam Higgins, and ended up only facing one hitter as Higgins drew a six-pitch base on balls.

Shenandoah skipper Kevin Anderson then turned to closer Kyle Scallion, who recorded the final eight outs to post his sixth save of the spring.

Scallion allowed two hits, hit two batters and walked one against one strikeout in the appearance.

In addition to Smith's three hits, catcher Keaton Neeb was 2 for 2 with a sacrifice fly and a walk.

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