GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team earned its second South Atlantic Conference series split of the season in the doubleheader against Limestone on Saturday (Apr. 2). The Pioneers took game one at Red Edmonds Field 4-1 before falling in the late contest 2-1.
Tusculum (21-16, 8-8 SAC) will have a week to prepare for its road series at UVA Wise on April 9.
Game 1: Tusculum 4, Limestone 1
A two-run fifth inning gave the Pioneers insurance against the surging Saints in the opener. Chloe Freischmidt was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish with a RBI. Alyssa Suits added two hits in three at-bats with a RBI.
Freischmidt singled to lead off the second inning, but was called out on an Anna Alloway fielder's choice. Emily Sappington hit a single back up the middle to put two runners on with one out. Suits stepped in for a single to left center and Alloway scored with ease to put TU up 1-0.
The eventual winning run was credited in the fourth frame. Freischmidt knocked a single back where it came from and Alloway laid down her first sacrifice bunt of the year. Sappington drew a walk with Maddie McBride entering to pinch run. Claire Smeltzer dug in as a pinch hitter for another one-bagger up the middle to bring home the catcher Freischmidt.
TU tacked on two in the fifth. Mya Maddox notched an infield single and followed with a steal of second. Kallyn Newport flew out and Maddox was able to advance. Hayley Lazo tallied a single and Maddox jogged home. Freischmidt landed a double just inside the right field foul line and Lazo raced home for Tusculum's final run.
Looking to avoid a shutout, Limestone was able to scrap across a two-out run in the seventh.
Sappington (10-8) struck out eight batters, walked four, and allowed six hits in her 17th complete game of the season, all on 120 pitches.
Game 2: Limestone 2, Tusculum 1
Tusculum scored a first inning run, but Limestone's Caroline Ruth sat down the final 12 Pioneers in order to close out the series.
Newport and Lazo drew consecutive one-out walks, which included a Newport steal. Freischmidt was hit by a pitch to load the bases with Alloway up to bat. She launched a sacrifice fly to center to score Newport.
Ireland Cavanaugh was able to hold the Saints scoreless until the sixth inning. A lead-off triple ended up scoring after a throwing error by the Pioneers to tie the game at 1-all. A RBI double gifted the Saints the lead and the series split.
Cavanaugh (8-5) pitched 5.2 innings on an even 100 pitches. She struck out six, allowed four hits, walked two, and was tagged with Limestone's two runs. Sappington threw the final 1.1 innings, striking out a pair, only relenting a single hit on 22 pitches.
