GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- After an 11-day hiatus from competition, Tusculum softball returned to Red Edmonds Field for a Senior Day showdown with archrival Carson-Newman. In true rivalrous fashion, the familiar foes split the meeting.
The three fifth-year seniors made an impact on their special day. Unable to play, Kiley Longmire tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. Anna Alloway contributed in two runs. Mya Maddox had four hits and three steals.
Tusculum (22-17, 9-9 SAC) makes a quick turnaround to host Queens on Friday (Apr. 15) in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.
Game 1: Carson-Newman 9, Tusculum 5
Carson-Newman took advantage of five unearned runs on two Tusculum errors to open the series.
The Pioneers got on the board first. Kallyn Newport drew a walk and advanced on a wild pitch. Chloe Freischmidt hit a shot into left field to score the hustling Newport.
Four unearned runs scored for the Eagles in the second, all with two outs.
TU tied up the contest in the third. Maddox dropped a single down the left field line and quickly stole second. Newport drew another walk. The duo advanced 60 feet on a wild pitch. Freischmidt singled through the left side to easily plate Maddox. Alloway notched an infield single to bring home Newport. After a Carson-Newman pitching change, Emily Sappington drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Hannah Hughes reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Freischmidt to tie the game.
The Eagles took advantage of three steals in the fifth inning to re-take the lead, 7-4.
The Pioneers got a run back in the bottom half of the frame. Hayley Lazo led off with a double down the left field line. Alloway flew out down the right field line, allowing Lazo to take third. In an attempt to throw out Lazo, the Eagles' second baseman had the ball sail, giving her enough time to score the Pioneers' final run of the contest.
Carson-Newman tacked on an unearned run in the sixth and a solo homer in the seventh.
Sappington (10-9) tossed her 18th complete game of the season. She surrendered eight hits, nine runs (four earned), and walked three, striking out four.
Game 2: Tusculum 6, Carson-Newman 1
Ireland Cavanaugh relented just three hits to one of the top offensive teams in Division II, in perhaps the most stalwart outing of her collegiate career.
Maddox and Katelynn Hodges notched a pair of hits, Lazo collected two RBI, and Newport drew two walks to aid in Cavanaugh's victory.
Once again, the Pioneers tallied the first run of the contest. Maddox waited out a lead-off walk and stole second. Newport notched TU's second-straight walk and Maddox advanced to the hot corner on the wild pitch. Newport stole second and the Carson-Newman catcher short-hopped the throw, which allowed Maddox to sprint home on the error.
The first three hits for Tusculum came in the second inning, all doubles. Claire Smeltzer drew the lead-off walk and Madison McGinnis entered to pinch run. She stole second but was out on Hughes' fielder's choice. Batting with two outs, Hodges and Maddox launched back-to-back doubles to force an Eagles' pitching change. Newport followed with a walk as both she and Maddox scored on Lazo's double.
The lone Carson-Newman run came in the fourth after a three-base error and a RBI single, unearned.
The final run of the game was courtesy of Smeltzer in the fifth frame. Freischmidt doubled to right center, advancing on Alloway's flyout. Smeltzer hit a rocket off of the pitcher's shin to ricochet around the infield and plate Freischmidt.
Cavanaugh (9-5) allowed only one unearned run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts, needing only 89 pitches to clip the Eagles.
