GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team started the day with an upset of No. 18 and South Atlantic Conference leader Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday (Apr. 11) to kick off Alumni Weekend.
Tusculum (17-23, 5-13 SAC) steps out of conference play to host Emmanuel on Sunday (Apr. 12) in a continuation of Alumni Weekend. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 5, #t18 Lenoir-Rhyne 4
The Pioneer underclassmen came in clutch in the upset of the Bears. Freshman Muriel Dillow went 3-for-3, freshman Andrea Davis was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and sophomore Addison Hoffner hit her third homer of the year.
Tusculum got out to a 5-0 lead with a run in the second and four in the third.
Davis legged out a bunt single and moved over to second on a Hoffner groundout. Dillow singled back up the middle to plate her teammate.
Ellie Alvarez and Ella Majchrzak drew back-to-back walks to lead off the third. After consecutive outs, Davis singled to right center to score Alvarez with Majchrzak scoring after a fielding error. The next batter was Hoffner who belted a two-run shot down the left field line.
LR's comeback attempt started in the fourth. The Bears earned three-straight walks to load the bases with one out. Chelsey Stonesifer got the second out on a strikeout, but the next batter drove in two runs on a single.
The Bears' led off the fifth with a solo homer and scored once in the sixth on two hits. Stonesifer locked down the visitors to seal the upset
Stonesifer (15-6) tossed her 14th complete game of the season, allowing just four runs on four hits with six walks and seven strikeouts on 130 pitches. The Bears grounded out just once, while flying out 12 times.
Game 2: #t18 Lenoir-Rhyne 12, Tusculum 9
The Bears scored seven unearned runs to salvage a split at Red Edmonds Field. For the Pioneers, Ava Hallows went 3-for-4 with three RBI, while both Alvarez and Majchrzak scored twice.
LR struck first in game two, using three singles to plate a run.
Tusculum fired back with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Alvarez singled ahead of Majchrzak's double to put two in scoring position. Davis reached on a bunt to load the bases for Taylor Hancock. Alvarez scored on the play, with Majchrzak coming in on a throwing error. Hallows doubled in Davis and Hancock.
Lenoir-Rhyne returned the favor in the top of the second, aided by a pair of TU errors. The Bears scored on a groundout, sacrifice fly, and a two RBI double.
The Pioneers tied the game at 5-all in the second. Abby Hunter singled to lead off the frame and was bunted over by Alvarez. Davis drove the second pitch of her at bat to left center for a double, bringing home Hunter.
LR tacked on another four in the third. The Bears used four singles and a double as the inning was kept alive by Tusculum's final error.
In the fourth, Lenoir-Rhyne kept the bats hot, taking advantage of four hits to score two to lead 11-5.
Tusculum had the roles reversed as LR was credited with a pair of errors in the bottom of the fourth. Lily Kate Cariaco singled to left as Alvarez and Majchrzak drew consecutive walks for the second time in the doubleheader to load the bases. Davis reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Cariaco, but everyone was safe due to a fielding error. With two outs, Hallows had an infield single that scored two teammates, aided by a throwing error.
Both teams' final run came in the fifth. LR belted a two-out solo homer by the pitcher Faith Carrigan. Abby Cruz had a pinch-hit single and moved over to second on a throwing error. Katie Jones re-entered and advanced to third on Kylie Darrow's pinch-hit single. Jones scored on a Hunter fielder's choice.
Both pitchers went into lockdown over the final two frames. Tusculum had a spark in the seventh with back-to-back singles, but three-straight outs spoiled another upset bid.
TU used three pitchers in the contest. Dani Beckham tossed three frames, allowing six runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts. Aleyia Satterfield (2-11) went for two innings and relented six runs (three earned) on 10 hits. Stonesifer returned for the nightcap, throwing the final two innings, allowing no hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
