Winning pitcher Carley Tysinger hit the go-ahead home run in the
top of the 11th inning as fifth-seeded Catawba College defeated
top-seeded Tusculum College 3-2 in a Food Lion South Atlantic
Conference Softball Tournament winners bracket game Friday
afternoon at Whitley Field.
Tysinger (24-8) struck out 14 in a complete-game performance for
the Indians (31-17), including the final two batters of the game
with the potential tying run on second base.
Her home run came with one out in the top of the 11th off Tusculum
reliever Elizabeth Johnson (14-11) and sent the Indians into the
winners bracket final against Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday at 9 a.m.
The Pioneers (31-18) will play Mars Hill in an elimination game on
Saturday at 11 a.m., after conclusion of a game between Lincoln
Memorial and Wingate that was stopped by rain in the second inning
on Friday.
Tusculum trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but twice rallied to tie the score
and extend the game. An RBI groundout by Kaytlin Stroinski in the
sixth tied the game at 1-1, while a steal of home by Nicole Ball in
the 10th deadlocked the game at 2-2 after Catawba had taken a 2-1
lead in the top of the frame.
While Tysinger was retiring the first 12 Pioneers she faced over
the first four innings, the Indians threatened against Tusculum
starter Kelly King in the first. Amanda Terry led off the game with
a triple, but was stranded at third on a strikeout and two
groundouts.
In the third, Catawba took a 1-0 lead as Gina Gerone led off with a
single and scored on a single to center field by Tara Gibbs.
Tysinger protected the lead through five innings, striking out the
side in the fifth after leadoff hits by Lindsey Umberger and Katie
Brennan left runners at second and third with no outs for the
Pioneers.
Tusculum finally tied the game in the sixth as Alix Kruel walked,
took second on a sacrifice, moved to third on a passed ball and
scored on a groundout by Stroinski. Both teams had runners in
scoring position with less than two outs in the ninth, but could
not push across the go-ahead run.
Catawba took the lead at 2-1 in in the top of the tenth as Terry
walked against King with one out, moved to second on a sacrifice
and scored on the second RBI single of the game by Gibbs.
The Pioneers came right back in the bottom of the tenth as Ball led
off with a double and moved to third when Samantha Silver reached
on an error by Tysinger. Silver then allowed herself to be trapped
between first and second, while Ball raced home with the tying run.
After a sacrifice, Carolyn Williamson singled to left to put
runners at second and third with one out, but a popup and strikeout
ended the frame.
Johnson relieved King to start the 11th and retired Sydney Hyder on
a fly ball before Tysinger drove a 1-1 pitch over the fence for her
third home run of the season and a 3-2 Indians lead. Tusculum
attempted yet another rally in the bottom of the 11th when Umberger
was hit by a pitch and took second on a bunt, but Tysinger struck
out the next two batters to end the game.
King worked a season-high 10 2/3 innings for the Pioneers, allowing
10 hits and two earned runs while striking out three and walking
two. Williamson led the Pioneers at the plate by going 2-for-4 in
the game, and Terry and Gibbs each led the Indians with 2-for-5
performances.
Tusculum will face Mars Hill in an elimination game after the Lions
scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Anderson
4-3.