HARROGATE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team split the South Atlantic Conference doubleheader at No. 19 Lincoln Memorial on Thursday (Mar. 17) behind a career outing by Chloe Freischmidt.
Tusculum (14-13, 1-5 SAC) returns home to J.C. Red Edmonds Field for back-to-back series, beginning with Mars Hill on Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m.
Game 1: #19 Lincoln Memorial 3, Tusculum 2
The Railsplitters needed a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh to overcome the Pioneers, in spite of Lincoln Memorial leaving 12 runners on base throughout the contest. Hayley Lazo went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in a run.
In a game which featured two of the best pitchers in the SAC, both teams' offense got plenty of hits. Mya Maddox led off the double-feature with a walk and a Lazo single moved her to third, but consecutive outs spoiled the early rally.
LMU struck first in the second. A lead-off double and a groundout moved the runner to third. An infield error allowed the runner to score.
TU retaliated in the next half inning. Maddox ran out an infield single and stole second. Lazo's second hit of the day scored her teammate with ease.
The Pioneers had a chance for the lead in the fourth after Freischmidt doubled and Hannah Hughes grounded out to advance her to third with two outs, but a flyout ended the inning.
Lincoln Memorial had runners on second and third with just one out but a strikeout by Emily Sappington and a grounder to Longmire at third squashed the Railsplitters' hopes.
LMU did pull ahead in the fifth after a single, sacrifice bunt, and another single plated a run.
Tusculum responded once again in the next half inning. Anna Alloway doubled down the left field line and Madison McGinnis entered to run. She advanced to third on Freischmidt's flyout. Hughes knocked a shot into left field to score the tying run.
LMU threatened again in the sixth but Sappington got the final batter to strikeout swinging.
The home team played small-ball to walk-off game one. A lead-off walk, followed by a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner, preceded the RBI single to finalize the score.
Sappington (6-7) walked a career-high six batters in her 12th complete game of the year. She surrendered eight hits and three runs (two earned), while striking out four Railsplitters.
Game 2: Tusculum 8, #19 Lincoln Memorial 6
Freischmidt tied her career-high five RBI in the offensive barrage. Kallyn Newport also went 3-for-3 with four runs scored and Katelyn Hodges collected two hits in two tries with a walk.
Squaring off against former teammate Delilah Malczewski, the Pioneers used their familiarity to their advantage early on. Newport singled and Lazo was plunked to put two on for the catcher Freischmidt. Having been close to home run power the entire day, Freischmidt used the extra motivation from facing her former battery-mate to crush a pitch over the center field wall, setting the tone for the rest of the nightcap.
Freischmidt struck again in the third for another RBI. Newport drew a lead-off walk and Lazo bunted her into scoring position. The catcher launched a double to bring in the sliding Newport, forcing a pitching change for LMU.
Consecutive doubles in the bottom of the third for the Railsplitters made the Tusculum advantage 4-1.
The Pioneers weren't finished scoring, collecting three in the fourth. Hodges and Kaylee Higgins went back-to-back on singles, advancing on a Longmire groundout. Maddox dropped a squeeze bunt to sneak in Hodges. Newport followed with her own base hit to score Higgins. Lazo singled to move Newport into scoring position. Freischmidt's fifth RBI came with a hit up the middle to bring home Newport.
Lincoln Memorial got four runs back in the fifth, cutting the deficit to 7-5. The Railsplitters loaded the bases, starting the rally with one out. A double, sacrifice fly, and a single nearly cleared the base path.
TU added an insurance run in the sixth. Newport singled and stole second. A fielding error on a shot hit by Freischmidt scored her hustling teammate.
LMU equaled the Pioneer damage in their half of the inning after doubling in a walk.
Tusculum threatened to add more in the seventh but came up 60 feet short.
The Railsplitters, down to their last three outs, had a lead-off strikeout. A single and a groundout put a runner on second. Another single put runners at the corners with two outs, as the runner was held up at third by the LMU coach. The final out was a rollover to Lazo at first, who firmly put the winning tag on.
Ireland Cavanaugh (6-4) went 4.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, five runs, and one walk while striking out a trio. Keylon Reynolds collected her first collegiate save, finishing out the remaining 2.1 frames. She relented four hits, two walks, and one run with three strikeouts.
