GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University softball split a doubleheader with Barton College on Saturday (Feb. 21) afternoon at Red Edmonds Field.
Tusculum (5-7) is set to return to the diamond on Tuesday (Feb. 24) against Lees-McRae, starting at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 8, Barton 0 (5 inn.)
The Pioneers recorded their first shutout of the season behind Chelsey Stonesifer's two-hitter and a trio of home runs. Half of Tusculum's hits were longballs.
Brooke Smith drew a leadoff walk in the first and proceeded to steal both second and third. Ellie Alvarez belted her 13th career homer to left center, coming to rest in the netting of the scoreboard.
Tusculum struck again in the fourth for three runs. Muriel Dillow worked a one-out walk, bringing up Ava Hallows, who launched the second home run of her young career. With two outs, Abby Hunter singled to right, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Smith reached on a walk for runners on the corners. The Pioneers pulled off a double-steal, with Hunter scoring on the play.
The Pioneers enforced the run-rule with a trio of scores in the bottom of the fifth. Ella Majchrzak drew a two-out walk. Taylor Hancock entered to pinch hit and reached on a throwing error, as Majchrzak raced around to score on the play. Dillow powered a pitch over the fence in left center for her first career homer to end game one.
Stonesifer (4-3) allowed two hits with a walk, tying her season-best of nine strikeouts across 87 pitches.
Game 2: Barton 8, Tusculum 1
The Bulldogs returned the favor in the second half of the doubleheader as Barton used three TU errors into five unearned runs. Both teams left double-digit runners on base in the contest.
BC broke through in the second inning for its first run of the series. A leadoff single came around to score after an error and a double.
The Bulldogs worked a bases-loaded walk in the third frame.
Barton's biggest damage came via a five-run fourth inning. The Bulldogs used four hits and a pair of TU miscues, highlighted by a two-run shot just inside the left field foul pole.
Tusculum's lone run was scored in the bottom half of the inning. Hunter legged out an infield single, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, and third on a ball to right field. Once again, Smith and Hunter caused chaos on the base path. Smith stole second and, on an errant throw, moved up to third as Hunter scored.
The Bulldogs scored their final run in the seventh, plating the leadoff double.
Catherine O'Donohue (0-1) was tagged with the loss as the starter, tossing just the first inning. She allowed two hits, one unearned run, and one walk on 14 pitches. Aleyia Satterfield pitched two innings in relief, relenting four runs (two earned) on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts on 48 pitches. Dani Beckham saw two innings of work with two unearned runs on two hits. Izzy Wilson threw the final three frames, finishing with a staff-best three strikeouts. The Bulldogs notched four hits, one run, and one walk against the freshman.
