Tusculum College and King University split a non-conference
softball doubleheader Monday afternoon at the King Softball Field,
with the host Tornado taking the opener 4-1 before the Pioneers
used a six-run second inning to come back with a 6-1 victory in
game two.
The Pioneers (19-29) return home for a South Atlantic Conference
doubleheader against Carson-Newman University on Wednesday
afternoon. First pitch from Red Edmonds Field is scheduled for 3
p.m.
Game 1: King 4, Tusculum 1 - box score
The Tornado scored all four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning
to erase a 1-0 Pioneer lead, as Hannah Smith hit a two-run home run
and Jennifer Kern added a two-run single in the frame.
Hayley Smothers (10-12) scattered six hits and struck out two in
the victory for King, which finished with eight hits as a team.
Kern was 2-for-3 with a double at the plate and was also hit by a
pitch.
Robin Stoner and Morgan Ward each went 2-for-3 at the plate for the
Pioneers, who scored their only run in the top of the first as
Carolyn Williamson singled with one out, moved up on singles by
Stoner and Emily Hester, and scored on a fielder's choice grounder
by Jordan Keene.
Tusculum starter Taylor Plemons (2-9) allowed one hit through the
first three innings before running into a jam in the fourth. After
hitting the leadoff batter, Plemons gave up a two-run home run to
Smith to give the Tornado a 2-1 lead. Eliza Davis came on in relief
and allowed a walk and a single before Kern singled with two outs
to extend the King lead to 4-1.
Plemons allowed three hits and three earned runs in three-plus
innings of work for the Pioneers, with one strikeout. Davis tossed
the final three innings in relief and surrendered five hits and one
earned run, with three strikeouts and a walk.
Game 2: Tusculum 6, King 1 - box score
The Pioneers took advantage of a pair of Tornado errors to score
six runs in the second inning, and righthander Cayla Cecil made the
lead stand up as she scattered eight hits and allowed just a solo
homer to Smith in the bottom of the sixth. Cecil (8-6) threw her
10th complete game in 17 starts, finishing with two strikeouts and
three walks.
Tusculum opened the second inning against King starter Lauren Smith
as Hester singled and Jordan Keene was safe on an error. Another
error allowed pinch-runner Taylor Lewis to score and give the
Pioneers a 1-0 lead. After a sacrifice bunt, Bailey Culler
delivered a two-run double for a 3-0 Tusculum lead. Miranda Beeler
singled with two outs, and both she and Culler scored on a triple
by Williamson that pushed the Pioneers out front 5-0. Stoner capped
the inning with an RBI single that scored Williamson and gave
Tusculum a 6-0 advantage.
Cecil gave up a pair of one-out singles in the first and
back-to-back hits with two outs in the second, but pitched out of
trouble both times. Hannah Smith put the Tornado on the board with
her second home run of the day in the bottom of the sixth, but
Cecil got out of a bases-loaded jam to avoid further damage. In
all, the Tornado left 10 runners on base in the game.
Lauren Smith (6-9) allowed five hits in 4 2/3 innings for the
Tornado, striking out three and walking one, while Morgan Lowe gave
up two hits in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Hannah Smith went
2-for-3 at the plate for King (17-27), as did Lauren Rowsey.