MAYFIELD, Ky. -- Starting pitcher Keith Rice allowed no earned runs in a seven-inning complete-game effort and the Covenant offense erupted for four runs in the fourth inning as the Scots moved into the winners bracket at the NCCAA Mid-East Region tournament with a 6-2 win over Hiwassee College.

 Covenant will face top-seed and host Mid-Continent University on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Game coverage can be found through the official tournament page here.

 Rice (5-1) needed only 78 pitches to complete the game and surrendered just three hits and one walk, while striking out one. Hiwassee starter Chris Large (3-6) picks up the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, in six innings of work.

 Covenant got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning when Will Cleland reached on a fielder's choice, but a wild throw allowed Sterling Witt to score from second base. Hiwassee tied the game in the second inning on a Jerad Potter RBI ground out.

 In the fourth, Covenant scored four times on five base hits. K.C. Simons singled home Chris Rollins to make it 2-1 Scots. Later in the inning, Witt plated two runs with a double to right field and a third runner scored thanks to a misplay by the Hiwassee right fielder giving Covenant a 5-1 advantage.

 David Lockwood finished 3-for-3 with a run scored, while Jonathan Carter picked up two hits in three at-bats. Witt went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs with James Rollins and Simons each driving in a run.