FLORENCE, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team had a rough start to the Raines Company Softball Classic on Saturday (Feb. 19), falling to both Mercy and Francis Marion.
Tusculum (8-4) wraps up its time at the weekend event on Sunday (Feb. 20). The Pioneers will seek revenge against the host Patriots at noon, directly followed by a neutral contest versus Bloomsburg.
Game 1: Mercy 4, Tusculum 1
Katelynn Hodges recorded half of the Pioneers' hits, going 2-for-3 and scoring the lone run. Makayla Bush and Alyssa Suits tallied the other two, both singles.
Hodges notched a triple in the bottom of the first and was driven in on a sacrifice fly by Anna Alloway.
The Mavericks scored once in the second and thrice in the fourth inning. Mercy's Ariana Ricci drove in three runs and touched home for the outlier.
Aside from Hodges' triple, only one other time was second base or beyond occupied by Tusculum, which was also by the TU second baseman. She singled and advanced on a ball hit in the air to the centerfielder.
Emily Sappington (5-1) is tagged with her first loss of the season. In her complete game, four runs crossed the plate (none earned) with eight hits, four walks, and six strikeouts.
Game 2: Francis Marion 6, Tusculum 1
Alloway was the only Pioneer to notch multiple hits, while Hayley Lazo was perfect in the batter's box. The TU first baseman went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks and scored the lone run.
Lazo drew a walk to open the second inning, mirrored by Suits. Hannah Hughes executed a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Kiley Longmire was able to bring in Lazo on a sacrifice fly to the opposite field.
The Patriots used a three-run home run in the third and used a pair of Pioneer miscues in the fifth to plate their runs.
Ireland Cavanaugh (2-1) picked up her first loss as a Pioneer after tossing 4.0 innings. She issued three walks, five hits, six runs (five earned), and struck out four. Keylon Reynolds pitched a scoreless two frames in relief. She surrendered only two hits with three strikeouts.
