HICKORY, N.C. --- Emily Sappington pitched the longest no-hitter in Tusculum University softball history with a 10-inning shutout over Lenoir-Rhyne on Monday (Mar. 29). The left-hander's no-no was the second of her career, tying her for the program lead, and she needed just 99 pitches.
On April Fool's Day, Tusculum (11-11, 5-5 SAC) will attempt to host Wingate for a third time, as the previous two tries proved unsuccessful. First pitch of the tilt is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 1, Lenoir-Rhyne 0 (10 innings)
Alexis Grampp drove in the winning run in the top of the 10th to secure Sappington's near-perfect win.
The Pioneers steadily got on base throughout the opening game, with runners reaching scoring position in 7-of-10 frames.
Tension started building as the game went to extra innings. Anna Alloway was placed on second per the international tie-breaker and Grampp bunted her over. The next two batters were out on infield plays.
LR did the same thing.
In the top of the ninth, Chloe Freischmidt was placed on second base and Sappington drew her third walk of the contest. With two outs, Hayley Lazo earned a walk as well to load the bases. However, a fly ball resulted in the third out.
A sacrifice bunt moved the Bears' runner to third in the bottom of the ninth, but the Pioneer defense responded with a double play to end the threat.
Mya Maddox started the 10th halfway through the base path. Alloway did her job and bunted her over 60 feet. Grampp shattered the scoreless tie with a single right back up the middle to plate the TU outfielder.
A strikeout and two fly outs by the top of the Lenoir-Rhyne batting order clinched the nail-biter.
The only blemish for Sappington (5-3) came in the fifth via a lead-off hit by pitch. She struck out nine Bears, including all three Lenoir-Rhyne batters faced in the sixth inning.
Game 2: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Tusculum 0
Sappington threw nearly every pitch in game two as well, but the Bears' pitcher stalled the TU offense.
The sophomore left-hander had just extended her hitless streak to 12.2 innings when a lead-off single in the third inning broke up the trend.
Lenoir-Rhyne drew a walk to open the fifth and broke through with a two-out triple to score its first run of the series. A two-run homer occurred in the next inning, reaching the final score of 3-0.
The Pioneers had runners in scoring position in the second, fifth, and sixth but the Bears clamped down. TU had the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth frame after Freischmidt reached on a fielder's choice, Sappington was hit by a pitch, and Claire Smeltzer walked. Yet, nothing came of it.
Sappington (5-4) threw 84 pitches across 5.2 innings in the loss with three strikeouts. Keylon Reynolds stepped in to start the sixth but Sappington returned after two batters.
