Posted: Apr 22, 2009
Powell posted a 2-for-4 performance in game one, driving in two runs and delivering a walk-off solo home run in the seventh for the Pioneers. Freshman Ashley Burke continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 in the opener with three singles and a run scored. The 5-5 third baseman scored a total of two runs in the twin-bill. Ashley Basilicato, Rachel Hopper, and Holli Cadenhead each had two hits on the day.
Cadenhead (10-16) got the nod for the Pioneers in game one and allowed four runs and struck out seven in seven innings of work. Ali Hansen (2-10) made the start for Tusculum and pitched the first inning and two-thirds before Cadenhead entered in relief. Cadenhead threw the final five and one-third frames, striking out three and walking two.
King's Stephanie Mueller and Jena Rickard each had five hits on the day, driving in a combined seven runs. Mueller and Christy Kooch paced the Tornado offense with four RBIs apiece on the day, as Rickard and Katie Hubbard each drove in three runs. Megan Lilley and Emily Bennett each collected three hits in the twin-bill.
Emilee Edelman started game one for King and allowed two earned runs in six and two-thirds innings of work, walking one and striking out one. Danielle Zimmerman pitched the full seven innings in the nightcap, allowing three runs and striking out three to earn the win.
Game One: Tusculum 5, King 4
Tusculum got off to a hot start in game one, scoring two runs in the first inning and one in the second to take an early 3-0 lead into the third frame. The Pioneers notched the game's first two runs on a bases loaded walk and an RBI single by Powell before Hopper singled home Alex Kimbrell in the second to put TC up 3-0.
King cut the lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning, getting an RBI single from Mueller and sacrifice fly by Kooch to pull within one. Tusculum then stretched the lead to 4-2 on Racheal Wilburn's sac fly in the bottom of the inning, before King knotted the score at 4-4 with a pair of RBI singles by Rickard and Mueller in the sixth.
Tusculum then came up to bat in the seventh with the chance to notch its fourth walk-off win of the season, and after Edelman retired the first two batters of the inning, Powell launched the first pitch she saw over the wall in right center for her second home run of the campaign and a 5-4 win for the Pioneers.
Game Two: King 12, Tusculum 3
King opened the scoring early in game two, scoring two runs in the first inning on Hubbard's two-run single down the left field line. Tusculum cut the lead to 2-1 on an RBI double by Cadenhead in the bottom of the inning. King then stretched the advantage to 6-1 with four runs on five hits in the second on three RBI singles and a sac fly.
The teams each scored two runs in their respective half of the fifth, as King took an 8-3 lead into the sixth inning. King later added four runs in the top of the seventh to equal the final margin of 12-3.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Thursday when the seventh-seeded Pioneers take on second-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne University in the opening round of the F