GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University softball has been dubbed the host of the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Softball Championship, scheduled for this weekend (Apr. 23-24). The Pioneers earned the No. 6 seed and will square off against the third seed Catawba at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night.
RECAPPING THE SEASON
The Pioneers (19-17, 13-11 SAC) have gone 8-6 in the month of April, highlighted by a sweep of Queens on the 11th.
All-Conference honoree Anna Alloway has been the steady force in the TU offense this season. The senior outfielder leads the team with 132 at bats and 51 hits for a .386 average, .418 on-base percentage, and .576 slugging mark. Alloway has also totaled 25 runs scored, 15 extra base bits, 21 runs batted in, and six walks. Senior Alexis Grampp has team-bests in runs (29), home runs (9), RBI (33), and is in a three-way tie with 11 walks. Mya Maddox has stolen 16 bases, while Kiley Longmire has doubled 11 times. Claire Smeltzer and Emily Sappington are the remaining Pioneers that have drawn 11 walks. Catcher Chloe Freischmidt is next best in RBI and homers with 28 and six, respectively.
In the circle, Sappington has been the go-to pitcher for Julie Huebner's squad. In 104 innings of work, the left-hander has accumulated a 2.29 earned-run average on a 8-7 record. Across 19 appearances and 16 starts, Sappington is credited with a pair of saves as well. The sophomore has relented 94 hits, 34 earned runs, and 18 walks with 104 strikeouts.
As a team, Tusculum is ranked across the top-25 in four NCAA statistical categories: sacrifice bunts (1st; 44) double plays (t-2nd; 18), double plays per game (10th; 0.50), and hit by pitch (23rd; 29). Individually, Alloway is tied for ninth with 51 hits, while Sappington is 20th in saves (2) and 24th in complete games (12).
LOOKING AHEAD
Catawba (28-10, 15-9 SAC) hosted the Pioneers on March 17 and Tusculum took both contests by an identical 5-1 margin. Jordan Dean, the Indians' shortstop, has started all 38 games and collected 51 hits (t-9th in DII), 41 runs scored, 10 doubles, 13 homers (7th nationally), 49 RBI (5th in DII), and 10 walks for a combined 102 total bases (4th nationally). Brooke Walser has pitched nearly half of Catawba's innings (112.1) throughout 19 starts (10th in DII). She has a 13-4 record with 12 complete games on a 3.24 ERA. Walser has allowed 128 hits, 52 earned runs, and 51 walks while striking out 73. As a team, Catawba ranks second across Division II in hits (361), fifth in doubles (65), and seventh in runs scored (252).
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
Fan attendance for the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Softball Championship at Tusculum University will be limited to two (2) persons per student-athlete of each participating team. The full policy for the tournament can be found here.
