GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Sophomore Phlyscia Powell drove in four runs and freshman Elizabeth Johnson pitched her first collegiate shutout to lead the Tusculum College softball team to a doubleheader sweep of The University of Virginia's College at Wise on Friday afternoon at Red Edmonds Field. Tusculum won game one by a score of 4-1 before blanking the Cavaliers 3-0 in the nightcap.
Tusculum (11-15) extended its winning streak to three games and has now recorded victories in four of its five outings. The Pioneers out-hit the Cavaliers 14-12 on the day, edging UVA-Wise in base knocks by a 7-6 margin in each game.
Powell posted identical 2-for-3 performances, recording a double, triple and two RBI in each game to pace the Pioneers. Katy Stuckwish, Taylor MacDonald, and Ashley Burke each recorded a pair of base knocks as MacDonald paced the Pioneers with three runs scored.
Erin Searcy (4-6) earned her second straight win in game one, allowing one run while scattering six hits and striking out four in seven innings of work. Johnson (2-2) got the nod in game two and hurled seven scoreless innings to earn her first collegiate shutout. The 5-8 freshman scattered six hits and struck out two in seven innings of work.
Kayla Cash led the Cavaliers with three hits in six at-bats, while Ashleigh Roenker, Christine Cantone, and Ashlee Washburn each tallied two base knocks. Cantone recorded the lone RBI for UVA Wise in the twin-bill.
Lauren Snead (4-7) made the start in game one, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking four in five innings of work. Megan McCoy (0-4) allowed two earned runs on seven hits in six innings of work in game two, while recording three strikeouts. Allie Gross pitched a scoreless inning of relief in game one for the Cavaliers.
Game One: Tusculum 4, UVA Wise 1 - (Box Score)
Tusculum got on the board with a run in each of the second and third innings, taking an early 2-0 lead on a passed ball in the second and an RBI double by Powell in the third. The Cavaliers cut the lead to 2-1 on Cantone's RBI single in the fourth before the Pioneers tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth to equal the final margin of 4-1. Powell plated MacDonald for the Pioneers' third run of the game with an RBI triple to left, and scored on Racheal Wilburn's single to left in the following at-bat.
Game Two: Tusculum 3, UVA Wise 0 - (Box Score)
The Pioneers scored a run in each of the opening three innings of game two, plating the contest's first run on Powell's second RBI triple of the day, which scored MacDonald to give TC an early 1-0 lead. Freshman Kristin Cantrell drove in the Pioneers' second run in the second before Powell capped the scoring with an RBI double in the third. Johnson allowed two runners to reach scoring position as the freshman held the Cavaliers to just one inning with multiple base runners.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Tuesday when the Pioneers host archrival Carson-Newman College to resume their South Atlantic Conference schedule. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Red Edmonds Field.
- TC -
