GAFFNEY, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team split a doubleheader against the Limestone Saints on Friday (Apr. 2) afternoon by scores of 6-8 and 6-5.
The Pioneers' next scheduled opponent is archrival Carson-Newman. The first pitch on Wednesday (Apr. 7) is set for 1 p.m.
Game 1: Limestone 8, Tusculum 6
The Pioneers notched a trio of home runs, but a sixth inning grand slam by the Saints earned them the come-from-behind win.
The second batter of the second inning for Limestone broke the scoreless tie with a solo homer to left center.
Kiley Longmire stepped to the plate in the fourth and doubled to right center. She then advanced 60 feet on a wild pitch. Chloe Freischmidt gave the Pioneers their first lead of the day with a homer down the left field line.
Limestone responded with three runs of its own, but all were unearned after a TU fielding error with two outs.
Tusculum launched two homers to reclaim the scoring advantage in the fifth inning. Anna Alloway came up to bat with two outs and hit a ball hard over the wall in left center. Alexis Grampp singled to the outfield and Longmire drew a walk to bring up Freischmidt. The catcher proceeded to crush her second homer in as many innings.
The Pioneers maintained a two-run lead going into the bottom of the sixth until a two-out grand slam by the Saints provided the final difference.
Emily Sappington (5-5) went the distance, throwing 108 pitches and striking out six.
Game 2: Tusculum 6, Limestone 5
Another late-inning rally determined the winner in the nightcap, but this game went the way of the Pioneers.
As in game one, the Saints garnered the first run of the contest in the second inning. The first batter reached on a fielding error and the next one walked. The lead runner stole third on a strikeout and scored on an infield groundout. The lead-off batter in the third hit a solo shot to left center to give Limestone a 2-0 advantage.
Tusculum was finally able to get on the board in the fifth. Hayley Lazo reached on a muffed throw by the first baseman and advanced to second. She moved over to third on a wild pitch and Mya Maddox drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Maddox stole her 11th base of the season, followed by a Grampp walk. Longmire's lone hit of game two was a two RBI single to center. After advancing on the throw, Grampp and Longmire were both in scoring position. Freischmidt followed with a single through the left side to score Grampp, but Longmire was thrown out at the plate.
Limestone also scored three in the fifth after a lead-off double and a trio of singles.
The Pioneers were down to their last three outs, trailing 5-3. Maddox teed off a triple to left field, hoping to get the rally going. After a pitching change, Alloway got plunked to put runners on the corners. Grampp notched a bunt single, moving the pair up a base. The Limestone pitchers switched back after the two batters. Longmire and Alloway were victims of a double play and the outlook seemed dire. Grampp advanced to third on a wild pitch with Freischmidt up to bat. She doubled down the left field line to tie the game at 5-all. Claire Smeltzer rattled off a double of her own to score Freischmidt and give the Pioneers a 6-5 advantage.
The Saints had their backs against the wall as they were now down to their last chance. The first batter grounded out, while the next two singled. The pair moved up on a wild pitch and the bases were loaded after a walk. Madison Michael tightened up and struck out the next two batters to win the game.
Keylon Reynolds got the start and went 4.1 innings, striking out three Saints. Michael (1-0) pitched the final 2.2 innings to earn her first win of the season. The sophomore also struck out three batters and held Limestone scoreless.
