GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball pitcher Dani Beckham threw the first complete game shutout of her career as the Pioneers run-ruled Emmanuel in both games on Sunday (Apr. 12).
Tusculum (19-23) stays out of conference action to take a trip to Lee on Tuesday (Apr. 14), with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 15, Emmanuel 1 (5 innings)
Tusculum erupted for eight runs in the second inning to spark the Pioneers to a 15-1 win over Emmanuel in five innings.
TU amassed a dozen hits including a 3-for-4 performance by Ella Majchrzak, while Abby Hunter added a double and a triple to go with her four RBI and two stolen bases. Tusculum also got multiple-hit efforts by pitcher Chelsey Stonesifer and first baseman Ava Hallows.
Stonesifer (16-6) was brilliant in the circle once again as she went the distance, allowing one run on three hits, two walks and six strikeouts.
Tusculum plated a pair of runs in the first inning to get things started. Hunter led off with a walk, moved to second on a ground out, stole third while scoring on an error on the play for a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Andrea Davis reached on an infield hit and Stonesifer helped her own cause when she doubled to center to make it a 2-0 contest.
In the top of the second, the Lions battled when Carson Stowe led off with a walk and Kaylee Purvis and Shelby Rinefierd followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. Stonesifer got a line out for the second out of the inning, but Dezarea Hillery drew a five-pitch walk to bring home EU's lone run of the game.
In the bottom of the second, Tusculum sent 13 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on five hits including a bases-loaded triple by Hunter to give TU a 5-2 lead. Hunter would later steal home and Majchrzak followed with a RBI single. The Pioneers loaded the bases again as Addison Hoffner and Katie Jones drew consecutive walks to make it a 9-1 game. Muriel Dillow would cap the scoring with her sacrifice fly as the Pioneers led 10-1.
Tusculum tacked on another run in the third frame on Hallows' two-out, RBI single. In the fourth, Hunter and Majchrzak each had RBI doubles, while Ellie Alvarez and Kyle Darrow each tallied a sacrifice fly to cap the TU scoring.
Stonesifer wrapped up the game retiring the Lions in order in the fifth including a pair of strikeouts. It was her 16th win of the season, which ties her for 10th-most by a Pioneer.
Tusculum tied a program single-game record with three sacrifice flies in the contest.
Game 2: Tusculum 12, Emmanuel 0 (5 innings)
Dani Beckham pitched the game of her career, tossing a four-hit shutout, the first of her collegiate career. The Pioneer offense backed her up with 12 runs, including seven in the fourth, for the second run-rule of the afternoon.
Hallows led off the second with a single as Jones cued up a single back up the middle. Izzy Wilson reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two outs. Dillow drove in Hallows as Wilson darted to third. Wilson caught the defense unaware after a toss back to the pitcher and raced home on a steal.
Majchrzak, Alvarez, and Hallows hit three-straight singles with one out in the third to load the bases. Taylor Hancock was hit by a 3-1 pitch to bring Majchrzak home. Jones singled through the left side to drive in two more runs.
Tusculum plated seven runs in the fourth inning on five hits and four walks. Hunter and Abby Cruz kicked off the frame with back-to-back walks ahead of consecutive singles by Alvarez and Hallows to score twice. Hancock sped for her first collegiate triple to clear the basepath, scoring on a Jones groundout. Wilson, Darrow, and Hunter reloaded the bases on a hit and two walks. Cruz singled to right as Wilson and Darrow came around to score.
Beckham (1-4) picked up her first win of the season, allowing just four hits with three strikeouts on 75 pitches.
