GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University softball pitcher Emily Sappington set the tone for the afternoon by tossing a game one no-hitter, the program's first in over eight years and the eighth overall. Both wins over Belmont Abbey were by a score of 8-0, each ending in a run-rule victory for the Pioneers.
Tusculum (5-5) turns right back around to host Lees-McRae (2-8) at Red Edmonds Field on Thursday (Mar. 4), starting at 3 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 8, Belmont Abbey 0 (5 innings)
Sappington (2-2) nearly had a perfect game, but walked a runner in the second inning. The sophomore struck out eight Crusaders over the five innings, needing only 53 pitches.
On the first pitch of the second inning, Sappington led off with a single up the middle, followed by a Chloe Freischmidt walk. Claire Crout executed a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners up 60 feet. Hayley Lazo ground out to second base, allowing Sappington to break open the scoring. Mya Maddox singled through the left side to plate Freischmidt.
Sappington struck out the side to start the third before four runs scored in the Tusculum half of the inning. Alexis Grampp knocked a lead-off double and Claire Smeltzer followed suit on the next pitch to plate the shortstop. Sappington hit another single up the middle to put runners on the corners, while Freischmidt drew her second straight walk. Crout launched a two RBI single and a Lazo walk loaded the bases once again. After a pitching change, Maddox reached on a fielder's choice, but Freischmidt was thrown out at the plate. Anna Alloway also reached on a fielder's choice and everyone was safe, including Crout who scored the game's sixth run.
The fourth inning started via a Kiley Longmire single. Angela Masiello came in to pinch run and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sappington drove her home on her third single up the middle of the game.
TU only needed two batters in the bottom of the fifth to score the elusive eighth run to secure the walk-off run-rule. Maddox walked and stole second. On an 0-2 count, Alloway singled right back up the alleyway, giving the speedy Maddox enough time to slide under the tag.
Game 2: Tusculum 8, Belmont Abbey 0 (6 innings)
Kaitlyn Pickens (1-1) pitched a shutout of her own in the second game of the day. She only walked one as well, striking out seven Crusaders. At the plate, Grampp finished a single shy of hitting for the cycle.
Batting second in the lineup, Grampp stepped into the batter's box and hit a rocket over the 225' sign in dead centerfield.
Lazo recorded her first career hit in the bottom of the second, a double to left center.
Her second hit was a two RBI triple to right center in the fourth inning. Longmire led off with a single back up the middle and Masiello came in to pinch run for her once again. Smeltzer hit a one-bagger to right field to put two on. Freischmidt dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Lazo came up with two outs and cleared the bases.
The fifth saw a pair of runs cross the plate as well. Alloway started off with a single and Kristen Gass entered as her pinch runner. Grampp doubled to left center, while Gass flew around the base path to score. Longmire was hit by a pitch for the fourth time this season, the team-high. Smeltzer singled to score Grampp.
Leading by five runs, the Pioneers needed three more to enforce the run-rule. Enter the reliability of Alloway and Grampp. Madison Michael placed a pinch-hit through the left side. Brittney Franse re-entered with Maddox up to bat. She bunted and beat the throw to first. Alloway doubled down the left field line to score Franse from second. Grampp drove in the winning runs courtesy of a triple to right.
