SAVANNAH, Ga. --- The Armstrong Atlantic State University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader with Tusculum College on Wednesday, taking game one by a score of 7-1 before defeating the Pioneers 8-0 in five innings in the night cap.
Armstrong Atlantic (16-6) tallied 17 hits on the day, including five home runs, while limiting the Pioneers (5-7) to five base knocks. The Pirates' Heather Walker went 4-for-4 on the day with a home run and three RBIs as five Armstrong Atlantic players drove in at least one run. Tusculum's Shanda Kimbrough recorded two hits for the Pioneers, going 2-for-5 on the day with a double and an RBI.
Megan Barnwell (6-2) picked up the win for the Pirates in game one, allowing one run on four hits in five innings of work before being relieved by Shelby Duff for the final two frames. Emily Headrick (3-3) held the Pioneers to one hit in five shutout innings to pick up the win in game two.
Holli Cadenhead (3-3) pitched the first four innings of game one before being relieved by Ashley Wilson's two shutout innings. Erin Searcy (2-3) allowed four earned runs in three and two-thirds innings of work in game two.
Game One - Armstrong Atlantic 7, Tusculum 1
Tusculum took the early lead in game one, pushing across the afternoon's first run in the top of the first inning on an RBI double by Kimbrough that scored Taylor MacDonald to give the Pioneers an early 1-0 advantage. Armstrong Atlantic answered with a run in the second, tying the game at 1-1 on an RBI single by Walker.
The Pirates took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 5-1 advantage into the fifth inning following a three-run home run by Ashley Buckett. Armstrong Atlantic would add a pair of runs in the fifth on a two-run home run by Erin Billingsley to equal the final margin of 7-1.
Game Two - Armstrong Atlantic 8, Tusculum 0 (5 innings)
Armstrong Atlantic scored a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead into the third. The Pirates plated five runs in the bottom of the third to take a 7-0 lead before pushing across the final run of the afternoon in the fifth.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Thursday when the Pioneers square off against Savannah State University at 1 p.m. in Savannah, Ga.
- TC -
