HARDEEVILLE, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team was on both sides of a run-rule result on the final day of the Lowcountry Classic, hosted by USC Beaufort. The Pioneers handled Erskine 12-4, while TU was on the wrong end of a 13-5 finish against the Sand Sharks.
Tusculum (2-2) opens a nine-game homestand on Tuesday (Feb. 6). First pitch of the doubleheader between the Pioneers and Concord is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 12, Erskine 4 (5 innings)
The Pioneers scored multiple runs in four of the five innings played to blow out the Flying Fleet.
Tusculum came out hot, plating three runs in the first frame. Abby Hunter continued her scorching start to her collegiate career with a leadoff triple. Sammy Jimenez drew a walk, followed by Claire Smeltzer's sacrifice fly to score Hunter. Riley Hope reached third on a two-base fielding error by Erskine after her single, in which Jimenez tacked on a run. Hope came home on a Maddie McBride RBI groundout.
Smeltzer added to the lead in the second. Gabi Nicholson and Hunter drew walks, both moving into scoring position on a passed ball. Jimenez loaded the bases with Smeltzer coming up to bat. She drove a pitch to left center for a double, scoring two.
Tusculum added three more in the third to lead by eight. McBride singled to right center with Danielle Jason entering to pinch run. Ellie Alvarez singled to left and after Nicholson's fly out, runners stood at the corners. Alyssa Barbrick executed a squeeze bunt, allowing Jason to score. With Alvarez now at third, Brooke Smith worked a walk and stole second. Hunter doubled down the left field line to bring in both teammates.
Erskine avoided the shutout with a RBI double in the top of the fourth.
The Flying Fleet made a bigger dent with a three-run shot in the fifth.
Nicholson led off the bottom half of the inning, registering her first home run as a Pioneer. Smith doubled and scored on Hunter's at bat. Jimenez ended the game with a two-run homer to enact the run-rule.
Ireland Cavanaugh (1-0) picked up the win after throwing four innings, allowing one run with five strikeouts. Keylon Reynolds came in at the top of the fifth, but did not record an out, giving up a three-run home run. Nyah Vogel finished out the contest, allowing just one hit in the inning.
Game 2: USC Beaufort 13, Tusculum 5 (5 innings)
Nine first-inning runs proved to be insurmountable for the Pioneers in the finale. All five runs for TU were racked up in the fifth frame, each via a home run.
The Sand Sharks recorded seven hits and used three walks to blow the game open in the first inning.
Three-straight hits to open the third inning resulted in a 10-0 lead for USCB.
Hoping to extend the game and avoid being shutout, Tusculum rallied for five runs in the fifth. Jimenez started the frame by sprinting to second on a Sand Shark fielding error. Smeltzer did the damage with the home run to left center, her second blast of the weekend. Two batters, Zoe Wills drilled the first home run of her career. With two outs, Alvarez drew a walk and Smith launched her first collegiate homer to bring the score to 10-5.
Back-to-back singles set up a two-out, game-ending home run by USC Beaufort.
Natalie Spaitis (1-1) collected the start but failed to record an out as she was dinged for five runs on four hits. Makayla Bush gave up four runs on three hits with two walks across her inning of work. Vogel finished out the contest. In 3.2 frames, she allowed four runs on nine hits, but struck out four Sand Sharks.
