NEWBERRY, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team won game two over the Newberry Wolves on Saturday (Apr. 23) afternoon, sending the Pioneers into the postseason.
Tusculum (27-20, 13-11 SAC) clinched the No. 7 seed in next weekend's (Apr. 29-30) South Atlantic Conference Championship, hosted by Lincoln Memorial. The Pioneers will open with the No. 2 seed Lenoir-Rhyne at 4 p.m. on opening day at the single-elimination event.
Game 1: Newberry 5, Tusculum 3
A five-run fifth inning provided all the advantage that the Wolves needed to take the opener over the Pioneers. Hayley Lazo was plunked twice in game one, moving her into a tie for the season record (12) at Tusculum.
No runner on either side touched third base until the fifth.
Emily Sappington led off the inning with a double to left center and Kaylee Higgins entered to pinch run. Claire Smeltzer singled to right center and Higgins held up at third. Katelynn Hodges hit a sacrifice fly down the left field line to drive in Higgins.
The Wolves responded with a lead-off single and a muffed throw on the next play advanced her to third. Followed by a RBI single, the bases were loaded on a bunt. The next batter hit a grand slam to score the eventual winning runs.
Tusculum got two runs back in the sixth, but no more. Lazo was hit by a pitch again, followed by two consecutive outs. Sappington and Smeltzer drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Hannah Hughes. She drove a double into center field to plate two teammates as the final runs.
Sappington (11-11) went the distance once again. She allowed five runs (four earned), eight hits, and six strikeouts in the loss.
Game 2: Tusculum 7, Newberry 2
With the opening game loss, the Pioneers were faced with a must-win scenario in order to continue their season. TU scored in 5-of-7 innings, including a three-run first, to get the job done.
Mya Maddox knocked a single into left before stealing second to lead off the nightcap. Lazo flied out to the opposite field, allowing Maddox to move up a base. Chloe Freischmidt ran out an infield single, as did Maddox to score. Anna Alloway doubled to center, while Freischmidt stopped at third. Alloway and Freischmidt moved up 60 feet each on the Smeltzer groundout. Kallyn Newport drove in the third run with a RBI single to left.
TU added another run in the third. Lazo drew a walk and was bunted over by Freischmidt. Alloway hit a single back up the middle to score the hustling Lazo from second.
Newberry's two runs came in the bottom half of the inning, courtesy of three-straight singles and a throwing error.
Hughes scored in the fourth to give the Pioneers breathing room again. She led off with a single, bunted over by Alyssa Suits, and advanced to third on a Hodges groundout. Maddox drove her in with a single through the left side.
Tusculum's last two runs were solo homers. Freischmidt keyed one off to start the fifth and Newport hit her first as a Pioneer with two outs in the seventh inning.
Ireland Cavanaugh (13-5) surrendered just one earned run to the Wolves on 10 hits and four strikeouts. She has now won five-straight decisions, including three just this week.
