GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team has a regional tilt at King on Tuesday (Mar. 8) before seven-straight South Atlantic Conference series, beginning with a home doubleheader against Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday (Mar. 12).

RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum (13-8) swept its halted series with Lees-McRae, blew out Converse, and was blanked in the conference opener at Wingate.

Emma Schaad notched her first collegiate hit, driving the game-ending score to run-rule the Valkyries. Mya Maddox hit .556 with 10 hits (two doubles), seven runs scored, six steals, and four runs batted in. Kallyn Newport also had a solid week, averaging .533 at the plate. She had eight singles, five runs, three steals, and two RBI.

In the circle, Ireland Cavanaugh went 2-1 with a complete game shutout, the first of her career. In 16 innings, she had 12 hits against her, eight runs score, and struck out 14. Emily Sappington went 1-1, tossing 13 innings, totaling 18 strikeouts with seven earned runs. Keylon Reynolds was 1-0 in 5.1 innings of work. She struck out six with no walks.

Nationally, Tusculum is ranked across the top-25 in sacrifice flies (13th; 8) and hit by pitch (24th; 15).

Individually, Emily Sappington is sixth in DII with nine complete games and 21st with 73 strikeouts. Maddox is ninth with 16 steals and 21st with her 31 hits. Hayley Lazo is 23rd after being hit by five pitches.

LOOKING AHEAD
King (13-7) continues its non-conference start with the Pioneers on Tuesday and is not scheduled to play again until Saturday. Camryn Haag is batting .404 with a slugging percentage of .809 in 19 games played. She has 21 RBI, 19 hits (11 for extra bases), 10 runs, and five walks. Erin Foster has drawn a team-high 11 walks, while Delaney Ports has been hit six times and walked four. Nikole Counts (54.2), Marleigh Duncan (44.2), and Carly Turner (30.0) have pitched all but seven innings for the Tornado. Duncan leads with 54 strikeouts, Counts has walked the most (22), and Duncan has the best ERA at 2.82. The Tornado are fifth in doubles (48) and sixth in doubles per game (2.40) across Division II.

Lenoir-Rhyne (17-6) has a busy week before coming to Greeneville. The Bears are set to host Limestone in a SAC doubleheader on Tuesday and Erskine on Thursday in a non-conference twin-bill. Savannah Moorefield is averaging .395 at the plate with 34 hits, 24 runs, nine RBI, eight walks, four doubles, and is 11-for-11 on steals. Cassidy Wall has driven in 24 runs, while Kylee Leonhardt has walked 11 times with four homers. The Bears have a trio of pitchers, all with a sub-2.70 ERA. Lauren Rakes is 9-1 with three saves, collecting nation-leading 135 strikeouts and 14 earned runs across 76.0 innings. Brooklin Heavner is 2-1 with 15 innings of work, totaling five strikeouts, four earned runs and no home runs surrendered. Morgan Beeler has pitched 66 innings for her 6-4 mark. She has walked 37 batters, tagged with 25 earned runs, has 17 extra base hits allowed, and struck out 48. LR is fourth in sacrifice flies (10) and eighth in shutouts (6).

Links to live stats and video, when available, for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.