GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University softball moved to 16-0 in the series history against Converse, dating back to the first meeting in 2018, with a pair of victories on Wednesday (Apr. 1).
Tusculum (14-20, 2-10 SAC) returns to South Atlantic Conference action on Friday (Apr. 3) by hosting Catawba for a 2 p.m. doubleheader. Head Coach Julie Huebner will go for career win No. 350 on Good Friday.
Game 1: Tusculum 8, Converse 1
Chelsey Stonesifer tossed a three-hitter in the circle and went 3-for-4 with four RBI to power the Pioneers past the Valkyries.
Converse hit a two-out solo home run in the first inning, followed by a double. Stonesifer allowed just one other hit across the final six frames.
Abby Hunter started off the home half of the first with an infield single. She moved over on an Ella Majchrzak groundout. With two outs, Stonesifer belted a hit to left to plate Hunter.
In the second, Muriel Dillow legged out an infield single, followed by a Hunter walk. The duo advanced on a wild pitch, with Dillow scoring on an Ellie Alvarez groundout. Majchrzak also singled to the left side to bring in Hunter.
Tusculum grew the lead once more in the third. Andrea Davis tripled to right field and scored on a Katie Jones sacrifice fly.
Stonesifer led off the fifth with a single down the third base line, as Lily Kate Cariaco entered the pinch run. Taylor Hancock drew a four-pitch walk, with Ava Hallows singling in Cariaco with one out.
TU's final blow came with three runs in the sixth. Alvarez singled to the shortstop as Majchrzak worked a walk on a full-count. Stonesifer drove a 2-2 pitch over the left center fence for her third homer of the season.
Stonesifer (11-6) tossed a complete game with one run on three hits with four strikeouts on 81 pitches.
Game 2: Tusculum 4, Converse 3
In a contest that took a shade over five hours, including a 2:42 weather delay, the Pioneers walked off the Valkyries in the bottom of the seventh.
TU took the early lead on a two-out homer by Addison Hoffner. Alvarez worked a four-pitch walk, but was called out on a Majchrzak fielder's choice. Hoffner stepped in and drove the fourth pitch she saw directly over the 225' sign in dead center field.
Converse's Kiarra Thomas became the program's career home run leader in game one and took the first pitch she saw in the third to extend her lead and tie game two at 2-all.
The Valkyries scored on a sacrifice fly in the fourth to pull ahead after the lengthy delay.
However, the Pioneers tied the game once again in the bottom half of the inning. Jones singled through the right side with one out and was bunted over by Izzy Wilson. Converse had a defensive lapse, which allowed Jones to advance all the way to third. She scored on a wild pitch to the backstop.
Converse had the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh but Stonesifer came in and shut the door.
Dillow drew a walk to bring up Hunter. She raced out an infield single, forcing the defense to rush, which caused a throwing error. Both runners ended up in scoring position. With two outs, Majchrzak had an infield dribbler. The Valkyries tried to scoop the ball to cut Dillow down at the plate, but she slid in under the tag.
Tusculum used four pitchers in the contest. Dani Beckham was tabbed as the starter, going 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on five hits. Aleyia Satterfield entered in relief, tossing 2.2 frames with one run on three hits and two walks. Wilson went 1.2 innings, relenting three hits and two walks, while picking up the lone strikeout for TU. Stonesifer (12-6) needed just four pitches to get the final out in the top of the seventh to also earn the game two win.
