Posted: Mar 18, 2015
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College
softball team rallied after a 4-2 loss in game one to pick up a 2-1
victory in the second contest to earn doubleheader split against
Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday afternoon at Red Edmonds
Field. Carolyn Williamson and Cayla Cecil each had a pair of hits
in the Pioneer victory.
TC's record now sits at 11-10 overall and 2-2 in the South
Atlantic Conference, while LMU is 9-10 overall and 1-1 in the
league. The Pioneers will be back in action on Saturday when they
travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on Queens University of
Charlotte for a twinbill beginning at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Lincoln Memorial 4, Tusculum 2 (Box
Score)
The Railsplitters struck for three runs in the top of the
first inning and led for the rest of the contest in a 4-2 victory
in the first game of the day. Brooke Rhodes hit her fourth homerun
of the season for TC.
The Pioneers were only able to tally four hits off
Railsplitter starter Brianna Taylor (5-6) who also finished with
six strikeouts. Rachel Medley (4-6) was dealt the loss despite four
K's.
LMU quickly loaded the bases with three hits in the first four
at-bats of the game. Ashlea Hunter then singled home the first run
of the game, and Megan Tice brought home two more runs on a single
to right field.
Facing a 3-0 deficit heading to the bottom of the second,
Jenna Restivo drew a one-out walk and Rhodes reached base after
being hit by a pitch. Bailey Culler stepped to the plate and
smashed a pitch right back up the middle that scored Restivo and
cut the LMU lead to 3-1. The Railsplitters added a run to their
tally in the top of the seventh to take a 4-1 lead into the final
frame.
Rhodes opened the bottom of the seventh with her solo shot to
left field to trim the lead to 4-2. However, Taylor was able to
retire the next three Pioneer batters in order to seal the
win.
Culler finished the day with two hits in three trips to the
plate with the RBI, while Kaytlin Stroinski was also able to reach
base once. LMU was led by Amanda Snow and Emilee Solomon who each
had two hits and an RBI.
Game 2: Tusculum 2, Lincoln Memorial 1 (Box
Score)
Tusculum scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning and
starter Eliza Davis did the rest as the Pioneers held on for a 2-1
victory over LMU in the second game of the doubleheader.
After the Railsplitters were first on the board with a run in
the top of the first inning, Williamson hit a one-out triple to
deep right field in the bottom half of the frame. Williamson came
home to score and tie the game at 1-1 when Culler's popup to LMU
shortstop Kelly Drier was dropped for an error. Culler moved over
to third on a double by Rhodes, and then came home to score on a
single by Cecil in the next at-bat.
Davis (7-3) settled down after the first inning run. She
allowed only two LMU base runners to get into scoring position for
the rest of the game, and left them stranded after getting out of
each inning safely.
Davis got two outs on two pitches in the bottom of the
seventh, but Kristen McAndrew reached base on a bunt single to keep
the Railsplitters' hope alive. However, Davis induced a groundout
by Hunter to end the game and earn the win.
Taylor started the game and took the loss after allowing the
two first-inning runs in just a third of an inning in the circle.
Samantha Smith pitched the rest of the game for LMU and scattered
four hits between five strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings of
work.
Williamson and Cecil each finished the game 2-for-3 at the
plate, while Rhodes and Nicole Ball also recorded a hit.