ANDERSON, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team had its seven-game winning come to an end at Anderson on Tuesday (Mar. 29) afternoon. The Trojans belted seven home runs over the twin-bill to sweep the Pioneers at the AU Softball Complex.
Tusculum (20-15, 7-7 SAC) hosts Limestone in a Saturday (Apr. 2) doubleheader at Red Edmonds Field, starting at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Anderson 5, Tusculum 0
Reigning SAC Pitcher of the Week Laken Maxwell pitched a two-hit shutout of the Pioneers in the opener, striking out 11 batters.
Anna Alloway and Emily Sappington recorded the hits, with Sappington launching a double.
Anderson started the first with three runs and Kayson Boatner added two solo home runs in the later frames.
Sappington (9-8) threw a complete game, surrendering four earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts.
Game 2: Anderson 12, Tusculum 6
The Trojans scored 10 unanswered runs to come-from-behind and sweep the Pioneers. TU's six runs were all unearned, thanks to six Anderson errors.
Tusculum scored two runs in each of the first three innings.
Kallyn Newport drew a walk, followed by a RBI double from Chloe Freischmidt. Newport was able to score after obstruction was called on the AU catcher. Alloway notched an infield single and Freischmidt was able to cross home on a miscue by Anderson.
Emma Schaad ran out an infield single to lead off the second frame and Alyssa Suits reached on a fielder's choice in which Schaad was thrown out. Suits stole second and moved to third after Makayla Bush reached on an error. Bush stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Mya Maddox grounded out but Suits was able to score. Newport also reached on an error to plate Bush.
Anderson got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning on back-to-back solo homers.
Alloway drew a lead-off walk and Madison McGinnis flexed in to run. She stole second and scored on a Hannah Hughes single. Schaad reached on a fielder's choice and Hughes came home on yet another Trojan error.
Another solo shot by AU made the TU lead 6-3.
The Trojans had an eight-run fourth inning to pull ahead on five hits and an error.
Anderson tacked on another solo homer in the fifth as the game's final run.
Ireland Cavanaugh got the start but only lasted 1.1 innings. She relented two earned runs on four hits. Keylon Reynolds (3-1) was tagged with her first loss of the season after throwing 2.1 frames. The sophomore gave up eight runs (four earned), six hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Sappington entered for the final 2.1 innings. The left-hander struck out three with one earned run crossing the plate on six hits.
