GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tusculum University Softball Team (11-10, 2-0 SAC) picked up a pair of South Atlantic Conference victories over visiting Emory & Henry College (5-8, 0-2 SAC) in the first league games of the season for each squad. The Pioneers took the first contest by a 4-0 score and earned a 10-2 win in the nightcap.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Tusculum 4, Emory & Henry 0
GAME TWO – Tusculum 10, Emory & Henry 2 (five innings)
LOCATION – Greeneville, Tennessee
VENUE – Red Edmonds Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (5-8, 0-2 SAC); Tusculum (11-10, 2-0 SAC)
Game One – Tusculum 4, Emory & Henry 0
In the bottom of the first, the Pioneers took a 3-0 lead. After back-to-back singles to get things started, Claire Smeltzer hit a three-run homer to left-center. Tusculum left the bases loaded in the second but pushed its lead to 4-0 third when Ellie Alvarez tagged a solo shot to centerfield.
The defenses then took over for the remainder of the game as the Wasps went three-up three down for the first six innings. TU tried to add an insurance run but was unable to put together the necessary offense.
Down to their final strike in the top of the seventh, the Wasps broke up the perfect game as sophomore second baseman Abigail Street (Glade Spring, Va.) tripled to centerfield. TU closed the game out on the next at bat for the 4-0 win.
Tusculum's Emily Sappington earned the one-hit shutout victory, fanning 14 as she faced one more than the minimum. E&H junior MaKayla Dowdy (Blacksburg, Va.) took the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Game Two – Tusculum 10, Emory & Henry 2 (five innings)
TU went ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Smeltzer drew a two-out walk and on the next at bat Gabi Nicholson cleared the bases with a home run to left. Emory & Henry responded in the top of the second as junior pitcher Olivia Yates (Floyd, Va.) hit a leadoff single and moved to third thanks to a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball. Senior designated player Morgan Silvis (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 2-1.
The Pioneers got the run back in their half of the second when Sammy Jimenez scored on a wild pitch and pressed the margin to 6-1 in the third with a RBI base hit by Nicholson and a pair of bases-loaded free passes.
In the fourth, E&H saw freshman second baseman Karsen Simpson (Salisbury, N.C.) drive in Street with a double to centerfield making the score 6-2.
The Pioneers ended the game in the bottom of the fifth plating four runs for the 10-2 final score. Brooke Smith plated a pair with a base knock to right while Smeltzer and Nicholson each had a RBI single.
Ireland Cavanaugh earned the win for Tusculum, allowing one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts across three innings. Yates suffered the loss, permitting six runs on five hits and two walks in 2.1 innings of work.
Up Next
Emory & Henry returns home on Thursday to host Wheeling University at 1:00 p.m. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was pushed back 24 hours due to the forecast of rain.
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