GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team entered the second day of the South Atlantic Conference Championship as the underdog, but came out on top with the program's first tournament title after a pair of upsets.

With the win, the Pioneers (22-17) automatically qualify for the upcoming NCAA Division II Regionals, hosted by the University of North Georgia. Per the NCAA, the selection date is May 16, with the Southeast tournament to be played May 19-21 in Dahlonega, Ga.

Game 1: Tusculum 2, Anderson 1 (Semifinal)

Anna Alloway registered both RBI in Tusculum's first upset of the day, against the second seeded Trojans. Claire Smeltzer went 3-for-3 at the plate, while Chloe Freischmidt finished 2-for-3. Brittney Franse laid down a program-record three sacrifice bunts.

Anderson threatened early after a runner reached third with one out in the third inning. However, with runners on the corners, Emily Sappington got the next two Trojans to strike out swinging.

The Pioneers' first hit of the game did not come until the third inning, via a Smeltzer knock. Franse advanced her and an Alloway single scored her. Alloway's RBI marked the 100th of her career.

Smeltzer doubled as the first batter of the fifth and Kristen Gass entered to pinch run. Franse executed her role and moved Gass over to third on a sacrifice bunt. Alloway drove in Gass on a sacrifice fly out to left field.

TU had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh, but could not convert.

Sappington retired 14 Trojans in a row before Anderson notched a lead-off home run in the bottom of the seventh. This includes striking out the side in the sixth inning, all swinging.

Sappington (10-7) tied her career-high 10 strikeouts, relenting just four hits with no walks or hit batters.

Game 2: Tusculum 8, #7 Lincoln Memorial 0 (Championship Game)

The Pioneers shocked Lincoln Memorial, the No. 1 seed and seventh-ranked team in the nation, with a complete game shutout pitched by Sappington. Both Tennessee teams were making their first appearances in the title game.

The championship contest marked just the second time that the Railsplitters (36-6) had been held scoreless all season.

The victory also broke Tusculum's 10-year drought without a top-10 upset. The last time TU defeated a team within the top-10 was on March 12, 2011 in a 3-2 result over #4 Alabama Huntsville.

All of TU's runs were via homers, led by Alloway's pair. The senior went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Alexis Grampp and Sappington both finished 2-for-4 as well.

The eventual game-winner was courtesy of a second-inning Sappington solo homer to dead center field, just over the 225-feet marker. She was also perfect in the circle through 2.2 innings until she plunked a batter and did not allow a LMU hit through three.

Alloway launched her first home run of the weekend with one out in the third to put the Pioneers up 2-0.

Lincoln Memorial managed to get a runner on third base with two outs in the fourth, but a dink right back to Sappington shut down the threat.

Tusculum used a five-run fifth inning to pull away from the Railsplitters and provided Sappington some breathing room in the circle. Smeltzer led-off with a double down the right field line and Gass promptly came in to pinch run. She advanced to third on a wild pitch. Franse drew a walk and soon after stole her first base of the season. Alloway rocketed her second homer of the game, a three-run shot over the left field fence. After a LMU pitching change, Maddox got hit by a pitch and notched another steal. Grampp followed up with her own home run to stretch the TU advantage to 7-0.

Once again, Lincoln Memorial threatened with a runner 60 feet from the plate. Sappington struck out the next batter and Alloway caught a fly ball out in right field.

Chloe Freischmidt decided to join in on the home run barrage with a solo knock to right field in the seventh.

The Railsplitters had a runner on second with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Smeltzer, to cap off her excellent day at the plate, made a diving catch in left field to solidify the Tusculum win.

Sappington (11-7) went the distance for the second time on the day and allowed only three hits, a walk, and a hit batter. The sophomore left-hander also struck out five.