BELMONT, N.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team split its final non-conference series of the season on Saturday (Apr. 15) at Belmont Abbey.
Tusculum (21-24, 6-14 SAC) begins the final weekend of the regular season on Tuesday (Apr. 18) when the Pioneers host UVA Wise (9-29, 4-16 SAC) at Red Edmonds Field for a 1 p.m. twin bill.
Game 1: Tusculum 12, Belmont Abbey 3 (6 innings)
Hannah Hughes was a home run shy of the cycle in game one of the afternoon, scoring three runs in the process. Both Sammy Jimenez and Hayley Lazo launched homers in the opener.
Jimenez drew a one-out walk ahead of Lazo's first home run of the season. Of note, all seven of Lazo's career homers have come in mid-April.
TU used a five-run second frame to blow open the contest. Emily Sappington, Hughes, and Maddie McBride loaded the bases with a single, double, and hit by pitch, respectively. Katelynn Hodges knocked in two with her double, followed by a sacrifice fly from Kallyn Newport. Jimenez blasted her homer to extend the Pioneer lead to 7-0 after an inning and a half.
Newport drove in her second run of the contest via a groundout in the third. Hughes, McBride, and Hodges reloaded the bases on consecutive one-out singles to bring up the TU centerfielder.
Hughes' triple in the fifth was brought home on a McBride sacrifice fly.
The Pioneers were able to enact the run-rule with three scores in the sixth. Newport led off the frame, followed by a Jimenez double. Claire Smeltzer made her impact by driving in both teammates. Italia Kyle entered to run at second base. Riley Hope doubled in Kyle for the 12th TU run.
All three Belmont Abbey runs came via the solo homer in the second, fifth, and sixth.
Emily Sappington (9-11) threw the complete game, tossing 105 pitches across the six innings. The lefty surrendered three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Game 2: Belmont Abbey 9, Tusculum 4
Madison Watts hit her first collegiate home run as part of a 2-for-3, three RBI performance by the catcher.
The Crusaders nearly struck in the first after back-to-back singles, followed by a sacrifice bunt. However, the TU defense held up and the lone strikeout by either team in game two negated the threat.
Hughes notched a one-out single to right center, advanced on a wild pitch. Watts launched her ball over to left center for the game's first score.
BAC tallied two home runs in a three-batter span to pull ahead for the first time.
Tusculum tied the contest with solid small-ball. Hodges legged out a bunt for a single, moving up on a sacrifice by Newport. With her conference-leading sixth triple, Jimenez plated Hodges with ease.
Belmont Abbey retook the lead for good with three runs on five singles in the fifth.
Lazo led off with an infield single and Kyle laid down a sacrifice bunt as a pinch hitter. Watts singled to center with two outs for the final TU run of the day.
The Crusaders added three runs of insurance in the sixth to put the game away.
Newport singled, stole her SAC-leading 22nd bag, and advanced to third on a groundout, but was unable to score in the top of the seventh.
Ireland Cavanaugh (9-9) was tagged with the loss, tossing just 2.1 innings. She relented three runs on five hits with one strikeout. Makayla Bush ate up three innings in relief with six runs (four earned) on six hits. Keylon Reynolds finished out the contest with two hits and a walk allowed.
