LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- With the threat of rain on Friday afternoon, Covenant and Tennessee Temple managed to get in the first game of a three-game series. Led by strong pitching from starter Tyler Smith, the Scots cruised to a 10-0 win.

Smith (4-2) picked up the win for Covenant after throwing all seven innings. The senior scattered five hits, while striking out five with no walks on 71 pitches, 53 of which were strikes.

The Scots (17-17) provided plenty of offense for their starter as well. Covenant scored twice in the second inning as a Temple throwing error allowed both Paul Phillips and Scott Gillespie to score and give the Scots a 2-0 lead. Gillespie made it 3-0 after his RBI ground out in the third inning scored James Rollins.

In the fourth inning, the Scots scored five runs. Jonathan Carter led off the inning with a triple and advanced home on a single by Chris Rollins. From there, Covenant took advantage of three Temple errors to score four more runs and gain an 8-0 lead.

Covenant then added two more runs in the sixth inning when Gillespie hit a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed David Lockwood to score. Two batters later, Carter singled home James Rollins to make it 10-0.

Temple starting pitcher Brandon Davis was saddled with the loss after going five innings and allowing eight runs, though only two were earned, with three strikeouts.

Gillespie went 1-for-4, but drove in four runs, while James Rollins finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored for the Scots. Lockwood ended 1-for-3 with a pair of runs and Chris Rollins added two hits with a run and an RBI. Carter went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Gunter Barton led Temple (12-30-1) offensively with his 2-for-2 day. Ryan Bruce, Taylor Wilson, and Luke Daniel each added a hit for the Crusaders.

The Crusaders and the Scots face off again for games two and three of the series on Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m.