GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University softball has six games scheduled over a span of four days this week. Wednesday's (Mar. 3) home-opening opponent will be Belmont Abbey, Lees-McRae will come to town on Thursday (Mar. 4), and the conference-opening series is Saturday (Mar. 6) at Lenoir-Rhyne.

The last time Tusculum did not play a home game until March was in 2010.

RECAPPING THE WEEK
The Pioneers were on the wrong side of a pair of walk-offs at North Greenville last Wednesday, 1-0 and 6-5. The nightcap went 12 innings, the longest game in TU's NCAA Division II era (1998-present).

Chloe Freischmidt went 3-for-6 at the plate, collecting three RBI, one walk, and one sacrifice fly. Claire Crout and Alexis Grampp drove in the two remaining runs. Crout, Anna Alloway, and Mya Maddox each had a multi-hit afternoon. Claire Smeltzer drew a pair of walks, while Hayley Lazo laid down two sacrifice bunts.

Emily Sappington pitched game one, striking out seven batters in 6.1 innings. Keylon Reynolds got the game two start, throwing two innings of one-run ball. Delilah Malczewski came in for two innings, allowing two earned runs and one hit with a single strikeout. Kaitlyn Pickens picked up the decision after throwing the final 7.1 innings, relenting three unearned runs.

Tusculum is ranked across the top-10 in Division II in four statistical categories: double plays (2nd; 5), hit by pitch (4th; 14), double plays per game (7th; 0.62), and sacrifice flies (10th; 4).

Individually, pitchers Malczewski, Pickens, and Sappington are among those tied for the Division II lead in hit batters, each plunking one. Kiley Longmire is tied third nationally with five doubles and 16th after being hit by three pitches. Sappington is 17th with three complete games. She is also tied for 17th in sacrifice flies, alongside Crout, Freischmidt, and Grampp.

LOOKING AHEAD
Belmont Abbey (2-4) is set to come to Greeneville tomorrow before hosting Augusta on Saturday. Katie Allison and Payton Whitley have the biggest bats for the Crusaders. The two are tied with a .267 batting average, collecting four hits in 15 at bats. Allison has walked four times, scored three times, driven in two runs, hit by a pitch, and homered. Whitley is credited with four RBI, hit by three pitches, tripled twice, scored a pair of runs, doubled, and walked once. Annabeth Watkins has thrown a complete game in all three of her appearances on the year. In 20.0 innings, she has racked up a 2.80 ERA and 18 strikeouts, while allowing 21 hits, eight earned runs, seven walks, six doubles, and three home runs.

Lees-McRae (2-8) was scheduled to play at Mars Hill tonight, but a postponement was announced earlier today. Sarah Beth Thomas leads the Bobcats with a .355 batting average. All 11 of her hits have been singles, but has also drawn five walks, scored four runs, and driven in two more. Charlsy Traylor is the most used pitcher on the staff with six appearances and 27.0 inning pitched. Her 4.67 earned run average and 18 earned runs are the team-high, but so are her 22 strikeouts.

NFCA No. 21 Lenoir-Rhyne (6-2) travels to Limestone today for an early afternoon series against the Saints before hosting TU on Saturday. Talon LaClair has started every game for the Bears and is batting .593 through 27 at bats. She has recorded 16 hits, nine runs scored, seven RBI, seven walks, and four doubles. Kylee Leonhardt has 11 hits to go along with 11 runs, six RBI, and six walks drawn. Among the pitchers, Lauren Rakes has two complete games out of her three starts for 21.0 innings of action. She is 1-1 with an even 3.00 ERA and 25 strikeouts, but has given up 17 hits, eight walks, and seven earned runs.

Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES
Lenoir-Rhyne is currently not permitting fans or parents of visiting teams to attend on-campus events.

At this time, no fans of visiting teams are permitted at any Tusculum University venue. The full TU athletic attendance policy can be found here.