GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team swept its South Atlantic Conference opener over Emory & Henry on Tuesday (Mar. 5).
With her second strikeout on the day, senior Emily Sappington became the first pitcher in program history to reach 500 for her career.
Tusculum (11-10) is scheduled to host No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday (Mar. 9) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.
Game 1: Tusculum 4, Emory & Henry 0
Sappington tied the single-game record (also set by her) with 14 strikeouts in the stellar outing. The lefty senior was also one strike away from the program's second-ever perfect game.
The lone blemish for Sappington was a triple given up in the top of the seventh.
Game one started with Sappington striking out the side to bring up the Pioneer offense. Danielle Jason and Brooke Smith singled in back-to-back plate appearances. Claire Smeltzer hit a dinger off of the scoreboard to clear the base path.
Ellie Alvarez added to the scoring in the third, belting a home run directly over the 225' placard in center field.
Sappington struck out seven-straight, ranging from the fifth to the seventh. She tied her contest record with the final out of the game.
Game 2: Tusculum 10, Emory & Henry 2 (5 innings)
Gabi Nicholson drove in four runs on 3-for-4 hitting with a home run. Smith scored twice and brought two runners home with her two base hits.
TU tapped another first inning homer in game two. Smeltzer drew a two-out walk as Nicholson tagged a ball over the left field fence.
E&H scored its first run of the day via a sacrifice fly in the second.
The Pioneers got the run back in the bottom half of the inning. Sammy Jimenez drew a leadoff walk, followed by Sappington's sacrifice bunt. Runners were at the corners after one of Alyssa Barbrick's two hits in the game. Jimenez scored on a wild pitch that reached the backstop.
Nicholson drove in her third run in the third as three runs scored in the inning. Smith led off the frame with a double that ricocheted off of the second baseman, moving to third on a Smeltzer flyout. The catcher pulled a single to left to plate Smith. Alvarez drove a single through the left side to put two runners on. Abby Hunter entered as a pinch runner following the Wasps pitching change. The pair advanced on a wild pitch. Sappington loaded the bases with two outs with her walk. Barbrick drew a walk and Maddie McBride continued the movement on the bases after she was hit by a pitch.
Back-to-back hits scored a second run for the Wasps in the fourth.
Tusculum scored four in the fifth to invoke the run-rule. Sappington doubled to right center with one out as Caylen Conrad pinch ran. Barbrick singled, Riley Hope pinch ran, and McBride walked to load the bases. A fielder's choice got Conrad out at the plate for the second out in the inning. Smith, Smeltzer, and Nicholson knocked three-straight singles to right field to plate the needed four runs.
Ireland Cavanaugh (3-4) pitched three frames with four hits, two runs (one earned), one walk, and four strikeouts. Natalie Spaitis closed out the game with two innings of work, allowing just one hit, one hit by pitch, and one strikeout across seven batters faced.
