PEMBROKE, N.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team finished 2-1 at the UNC Pembroke Invitational on Monday (Feb. 6), knocking down #15 Kutztown before falling to the host Braves.
Tusculum (2-1) continues its season-opening road swing with a trip to West Virginia. The Pioneers will square off against the Mountain Lions of Concord on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 8).
Game 1: Tusculum 5, #15 Kutztown 0
Emily Sappington and Claire Smeltzer both went 3-for-4 at the plate, combining for four runs batted in against the ranked Golden Bears.
Both teams collected a hit in the opening frame, but were unable to get the runner into scoring position.
Smeltzer led off the second inning with a double to left center. Sammy Jimenez executed a sacrifice bunt to advance Smeltzer to third, but could go no further.
Tusculum scored the eventual winning run in the third. Four-straight hits with two outs provided the difference. Kallyn Newport doubled to left field, driven in by a Sappington single in the same direction. Chloe Freischmidt and Smeltzer loaded the bases with their hits. Sappington was thrown out at the plate, looking to take advantage of a Kutztown miscue.
The Pioneers drew back-to-back walks in the fourth by Alyssa Suits and Hannah Hughes. Neither were able to score as the ball never left the infield.
In the circle, Sappington sat 12-straight batters down, spanning from the first frame into the fifth.
The Pioneers used four runs in the seventh as insurance to pull out the victory. Madison Watts connected for her first collegiate hit in her substitute appearance. Katelynn Hodges followed with a single of her own. Newport loaded the bags by reaching on a fielding error. Sappington capitalized with a single down the left field line to plate both Hodges and Kylie Darrow, who reentered to run for Watts. Makayla Bush ran for her pitcher Sappington and Italia Kyle did the same for Freischmidt after she reached on a fielder's choice. Smeltzer sent the fourth run of the game home after she singled up the middle. Jimenez also knocked a one-bagger to score Kyle.
Kutztown looked to extend the contest with two runners on with one out in the seventh. However, Sappington struck out the next two batters swinging.
Sappington (2-0) tossed her second consecutive shutout, the 11th of her TU career. The senior threw an even 100 pitches to record seven strikeouts with one walk, sprinkling four hits across the seven innings.
Game 2: UNC Pembroke 5, Tusculum 3
Braves pitcher Summer Bullard mowed down 10 Pioneers in her collegiate debut in the circle, stifling the Pioneers until the seventh frame.
UNCP tallied a run in each of the first two innings, an unearned sacrifice fly and solo home run, respectively.
The Braves extended their lead in the fourth with four of the first five hitters reaching, including three-straight hits to start.
Newport was the only Pioneer to touch second (twice) until the seventh inning. She had singled twice, stolen a bag, and was bunted over.
The TU bats came to life in the final frame, falling just short. Sappington drew the only walk of the contest, with Kyle entering to pinch run. Smeltzer singled to put two on, while Freischmidt drilled a double to score the lead runner. Jimenez and Hughes went back-to-back RBI groundouts to plate the final runs.
Ireland Cavanaugh (0-1) got the start, pitching three innings. She relented five runs (four earned) on four hits with five strikeouts. Keylon Reynolds entered in relief to throw the final three frames. She faced 11 batters, struck out six, walked one, and allowed one hit.
