GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The No. 16 Lenoir-Rhyne University softball team swept a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with Tusculum College at Red Edmonds Field on Saturday, posting a 4-0 win in game one before registering a five-inning 11-2 victory in the night cap.
The Bears (33-5, 6-0 SAC) out-hit the Pioneers (7-13, 1-5 SAC) in the twin-bill by a 20-7 margin, including a 12-5 advantage in base knocks in the night cap. Carlee Carpenter went 4-for-4 on the day for Lenoir-Rhyne, launching two home runs and driving in four runs. Kat Rivers posted a 4-for-8 showing in the doubleheader, including a double, triple, two home runs, and four RBI. Brittany Cherry went 3-for-7 with three RBI for Lenoir-Rhyne, as Ashley Duckworth and Brittany Davidson each launched a home run.
Dawon Millwood (14-2) tossed a gem for the Bears in game one, allowing two hits and recording 12 strikeouts in a seven-inning shutout. Alex Smith (14-3) made the start in game two, allowing two runs on five hits in three innings of work. Lauren Harris hurled two scoreless frames of relief for the Bears in game two.
Racheal Wilburn, Taylor MacDonald, and Holli Cadenhead each tallied two hits for the Pioneers, including Wilburn's first triple of the season. Cadenhead made the start for Tusculum in game one, allowing four runs on seven hits in six and two-thirds innings, before Elizabeth Johnson entered in relief. Erin Searcy got the nod in the night cap, lasting one and one-third innings before being relieved by Johnson and Ashley Wilson.
Game One: Lenoir-Rhyne 4, Tusculum 0
Game one remained scoreless until the top of the fourth when Lenoir-Rhyne pushed across the first run of the day on Davidson's solo home run. Rivers pushed the lead to 2-0 in the fifth with an RBI triple before Carpenter and Rivers launched back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh to equal the final margin of 4-0.
Game Two: Lenoir-Rhyne 11, Tusculum 2 (Five innings)
Lenoir-Rhyne opened the night cap with two runs in the top of the first, taking an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Rivers. Tusculum would answer with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, tying the score at 2-2 on an RBI triple by Wilburn and a one-run single by Cadenhead.
The Bears reclaimed the lead with five runs in the second, pushing the lead to 7-2 on a bases-clearing double by Cherry and a two-run home run by Carpenter. Lenoir-Rhyne then added a pair of runs in each of the third and fourth innings, including a two-run home run by Duckworth, to equal the final margin of 11-2 and move into first place in the SAC standings.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Sunday when the Pioneers travel to Milligan College, Tenn. for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with Milligan College.
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