BELMONT, N.C. --- Tusculum University softball split a doubleheader at Belmont Abbey on Saturday (Feb. 28) in a battle between mentor (Julie Huebner) and mentee (Sammi West).
Tusculum (6-8) returns home to host Lock Haven on Friday (Mar. 6) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The teams have never faced one another in recorded history.
Game 1: Tusculum 1, Belmont Abbey 0
Chelsey Stonesifer tossed a complete game shutout in the opener, her second in as many appearances.
The lone run of the contest came in the top of the fifth. Abby Hunter drew a one-out walk. Brooke Smith legged out a bunt single, which saw Hunter race to third. Hunter was able to score on a wild pitch with Ellie Alvarez at the plate.
Stonesifer (5-3) allowed just two hits with two walks. She struck out 11 to tie her career-best outing.
Game 2: Belmont Abbey 4, Tusculum 3
The Crusaders hit the go-ahead home run in the fifth to salvage a split with the Pioneers.
Smith and Alvarez led off the game with back-to-back singles and both stole a bag. With one out, Taylor Hancock knocked a sacrifice fly to left to plate Smith.
BAC tied the contest with a RBI double. The Crusaders nearly scored a second run on the play but TU executed a run-down at the plate.
Tusculum pulled back ahead with another sacrifice fly in the third. Smith was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She moved up once more on an Alvarez groundout. Ella Majchrzak took a ball to center field, allowing Smith to speed home.
Belmont Abbey retook the lead with a pair of scores in the bottom half of the inning. The Crusaders brought a single and walk home on a two-out double.
TU scored its final run in the fourth. Lily Kate Cariaco powered a lead-off double to right center and was bunted over by Kylie Darrow. She scored on a Katie Jones groundout.
The Crusaders moved ahead for good with a one-out homer to left in the bottom of the fifth.
Aleyia Satterfield picked up the start, going three innings, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk. Dani Beckham (0-1) was tagged with the loss, tossing 1.1 frames with one run on three hits with a strikeout. Izzy Wilson pitched the final 1.2 innings, striking out one.
