DAHLONEGA, Ga. --- The Tusculum University softball team saw its season end in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals on Friday (May 21) afternoon. Julie Huebner's Pioneers concluded 2021 with a 23-19 record after its 4-2 loss to the Young Harris Mountain Lions.
In the program's first NCAA appearance, TU finished as the fourth team remaining in the region.
Brittney Franse went 3-for-3 in her final college game and drove in both TU runs. Mya Maddox also recorded multiple hits (2-for-4) as well. Alexis Grampp drew a pair of walks in her collegiate finale. TU outhit the Mountain Lions 9-to-7, but Young Harris only left five on base compared to the Pioneers' seven.
Both of Tusculum's runs came in the top of the second inning. Emily Sappington singled up the middle and advanced to second on a Hayley Lazo infield single. Claire Smeltzer loaded the bases with a shot out to center field. Franse took the fifth pitch of the at-bat to left field, scoring the two lead runners.
The Pioneers threatened in the third. Grampp drew a four-pitch walk and Chloe Freischmidt doubled the next pitch to left center. However, the ball never left the infield the rest of the inning.
TU held the lead until the fourth. Young Harris mounted a two-out rally started by a walk. The following two batters doubled and singled, respectively, to tie the contest.
YHC led off the fifth with a solo home run. Back-to-back singles put runners on the corners and a walk loaded the bases with one out. A heads up play by Sappington resulted in a force-out at home plate and an accurate throw by Freischmidt got the batter out at first.
The Mountain Lions tacked on an insurance run via another solo homer in their next inning.
Tusculum had three outs to force extra innings or pull ahead. Franse knocked a one-out single past the second baseman, moving over to second on an Anna Alloway ground out. A wild pitch put Franse 60 feet from the plate. Maddox dropped a bunt single to put runners on the corners. However, a fielder's choice put an end to Pioneers' remarkable 2021 campaign.
Sappington (12-9) went five innings, facing 23 batters on 84 pitches. She relented three runs, three walks, six hits, and struck out one. Kaitlyn Pickens relieved her teammate for the final inning. She allowed one hit, one run, and walked one.
