GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team used its second-highest scoring output of the season to eliminate Catawba from the SAC Championship and move on to the semifinals. With the win, the Pioneers will battle the Anderson Trojans at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday (Apr. 24).
The Pioneers' 16 runs tied a SAC tournament game-high, set by Catawba in 2001.
Tusculum (20-17) used a pair of big innings to bookend the lopsided victory over Catawba on Friday (Apr. 23) night, fueled by a Chloe Freischmidt first-inning grand slam and four runs scored by Mya Maddox.
Anna Alloway, Maddox, and Alexis Grampp each singled to start the contest, as Tusculum was listed as the visiting team on the scoreboard due to seeding. Batting clean-up, Freischmidt stood in to launch a no-doubter over the left field fence, her third career grand slam. Kiley Longmire reached on a fielding error, followed by back-to-back walks drawn by Hayley Lazo and Claire Smeltzer. With the bases loaded for the second time in the inning, Brittney Franse, the ninth batter of the inning, collected a sacrifice fly to plate Longmire to lead the Indians 5-0.
Catawba responded with the like in the bottom of the second. A single with the bases full was followed up by their own grand slam.
Emily Sappington led-off the third frame with a double to left center and was bunted over by Longmire to increase the Pioneers' Division II-leading sacrifice bunt total. Lazo drove in her pitcher via a sacrifice fly.
After allowing a triple and plunking a batter, Sappington struck out the next three batters to escape Catawba's threat in the bottom half of the inning.
Franse drew a walk to force an Indian pitching change but was out the next play on an Alloway fielder's choice. Maddox was able to outrun the shortstop's fielding error to put a pair of Pioneers on for Grampp. She singled through the right side to bump each of her teammates up two bases, scoring Alloway. Grampp stole second and Freischmidt drew a walk to fill up the base path. Sappington grounded out, but Maddox was able to sneak in for the score, increasing the TU lead to 8-5.
The bats took a bit of a break until the sixth inning. Maddox slapped down a bunt to reach and promptly stole second. She advanced another 60 feet on a Grampp foul out to right field. Freischmidt collected her fifth RBI of the night after sending the ball back up the middle for a single.
Tusculum busted loose for a seven-run seventh. Lazo reached on a fielding error and was doubled in by Smeltzer. Pinch running for Smeltzer, Kristen Gass scored on a Franse triple, her first three-bagger of the season. Alloway continued on with a single through the left side. Maddox reached first on a fielder's choice, which resulted in Alloway being thrown out at second. Grampp made Catawba pay with her team-best 10th home run of the year to clear the bases. Freischmidt singled to center field and moved up on a wild pitch. Sappington notched another hit to drive in her back-stop. Angela Masiello came in to pinch run while the Indians reverted back to their original pitcher. Longmire did more damage with her team-high 12th double in 2021 to plate the runner from first.
The Pioneers led Catawba 16-5 ahead of the game's final three outs. A two-run homer by the Indians' shortstop and a game-ending double play by the TU defense finalized the 16-7 victory.
Sappington (9-7) threw nearly every pitch in the seven inning contest, relenting five earned runs on six hits, hit four batters, and walked one. The sophomore also struck out eight Indians. Savannah Foster entered in relief in the seventh, but faced just two batters and tossed 11 pitches. She walked the first batter and gave up a homer before Sappington re-entered.
