The Tusculum College softball team closed out its 2013 regular season schedule with a 6-5 nine-inning win over Virginia Intermont College and a 5-4 loss to Milligan College on Sunday afternoon at Red Edmonds Field.

The Pioneers (30-17), who won their first-ever South Atlantic Conference championship with a doubleheader sweep of Anderson University on Saturday, will play Lincoln Memorial University in their Food Lion SAC Tournament opener Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. on the campus of Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.

Tusculum 6, Virginia Intermont 5 (9 innings)
(Box Score)

Kaytlin Stroinski delivered her fourth walk-off RBI of the season on a single with one out in the bottom of the ninth, capping a rally from a 5-4 deficit.

The Cobras (30-12) took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth on a double steal, but the Pioneers tied it in the bottom of the inning as Alix Kruel scored on a wild pitch. Stroinski then lined a 3-2 pitch over the head of the Cobras' left fielder to bring home Miranda Beeler from third with the winning run.

Tusculum trailed 4-0 after 1 1/2 innings as Virginia Intermont's Micalah Sacre hit two home runs, one on the first pitch of the game and the other a two-run shot in the top of the second. However, the Pioneers fought back with two runs in the second and two more in the fifth to knot the score at 4-4.

In the second, Katie Brennan singled with one out and Paige Sneed and Nicole Ball followed with walks against Virginia Intermont starter Bailee Packett to load the bases. After a strikeout, Kruel singled to left to bring home Brennan and Sneed and cut the Cobra lead to 4-2.

Tusculum starter Elizabeth Johnson got out of trouble in the fourth, catching a line drive with two on and two outs to keep Virginia Intermont off the board. The Pioneers threatened in the bottom of the fourth, but Packett retired the side on a line drive to left.

In the fifth, the Pioneers tied the game against Cobras reliever Rachel Watts. Stroinski led off with a walk, stole second and took third on a single to left by Lindsey Umberger. After a pickoff erased a Pioneer runner, Brennan tied the game at 4-4 as she launched her fifth home run of the season down the line in left.

The Pioneers had a threat in the sixth, putting runners on the corners with two outs, but Watts retired the side on a fly ball as the game eventually went to extra innings tied 4-4.

The Cobras had first chance to score in the eighth, but were turned away by two great defensive players from the Pioneers. Brennan threw out a runner at the plate on a single to center, with Sneed holding onto the ball, for the first out of the inning. With two outs, Kruel made a diving catch of a liner in the hole between first and second to end the frame.

Tusculum left the winning run on base in the eighth, then saw Virginia Intermont take a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth as Krystle Brenneman started the inning on second base, moved to third on a single by Chelsea Forney and scored as part of a double steal.'

Brennan and Beeler each went 2-for-4 for the Pioneers, who had eight hits as a team in the game. Beeler also stole bases for the Pioneers, who had five thefts as a team in the game. Forney led the Cobras by going 3-for-4, while four other players had two hits apiece.

Johnson (14-10) worked all nine innings for Tusculum, allowing five runs (four earned) and striking out seven while not walking a batter. Watts (10-1) gave up five hits and four runs (three earned) in 4 1/3 innings of relief, with one walk and two strikeouts for the Cobras.

Game 2: Milligan 5, Tusculum 4
(Box Score)

The Buffaloes built a 5-0 lead through three innings as Taylor McGinnis had an RBI single and an RBI double and Makenzie Lilley hit a three-run home run, but the Pioneers rallied in the seventh and had the bases loaded with two outs before reliever Chancli Connatser ended the game with a comebacker.

Milligan (12-18) struck for five runs on eight hits in three innings against Pioneer starter Leah Powell (3-1), but were shut out on two hits over the final four innings by Johnson, who struck out three.

All nine starters had at least one hit for the Pioneers, who had 13 hits in the game as a team. However, 12 of the hits were singles and Tusculum left 10 runners on base overall.

Trailing 5-0, the Pioneers began their comeback in the third against Buffaloes starter Megan Nicol as Kruel led off with a single and was erased on a fielder's choice grounder by Carolyn Williamson. A groundout moved Williamson to second, and she scored on a single by Stroinski to cut the Buffaloes' lead to 5-1.

In the fourth, Connatser relieved Nicol and gave up a one-out single to Sneed, a walk to Ball and a single to Samantha Silver to load the bases. Following a popup, Williamson came through on a full-count pitch with a single to center field that drove home Sneed and Ball and pulled the Pioneers within 5-3.

Milligan carried the 5-3 lead into the seventh, but the Pioneers got singles from Beeler and Brennan and an RBI single from Umberger to slice the Buffaloes' lead to 5-4. Ball walked with two outs to load the bases for Silver, but she was retired on a grounder back to Connatser for the final out.

Umberger went 3-for-4 in her final home game at Tusculum, while Ball was 2-for-2 with two walks and Stroinski went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. McGinnis was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Camille Olvey was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Abby Hughes was 2-for-2 with a walk for Milligan, which had 10 hits in the game.