SALISBURY, N.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team fell twice behind two late-inning comebacks by the Catawba Indians on Thursday afternoon (Mar. 16).
Tusculum (13-16, 2-8 SAC) is scheduled to host Coker on Saturday (Mar. 18) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Red Edmonds Field.
Game 1: Catawba 6, Tusculum 4
A five-run fifth spoiled the Pioneers' attempt at three-straight conference wins. Emily Sappington (2), Claire Smeltzer, and Chloe Freischmidt drove in all four runs, while Kallyn Newport doubled twice in the effort.
Catawba put the pressure on early with the bases loaded in the first inning. Sappington wiggled out of one-out trouble with an infield pop up and a strikeout to keep the game scoreless.
Tusculum had a runner on second in each of the first three frames, but moved no further. Sappington broke the tie with a solo home run in the fourth, her first of the season.
The Indians tallied a solo shot of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
The Pioneers regained an edge in the fifth. Newport singled to left, but was out on a Sammy Jimenez fielder's choice. Jimenez stole second, followed by Smeltzer's walk. Freischmidt and Sappington knocked back-to-back singles to the right half of the field to earn a 3-1 advantage in the contest.
Catawba took advantage of five hits in the fifth to score five, highlighted by a two-run triple, followed by a two-run homer.
Tusculum needed at least three runs to continue game one, but only managed one. Newport doubled down the left field line, brought in on Smeltzer's one-out double. The ball did not leave the infield again to halt the Pioneers' recent spurt.
Sappington (6-8) was saddled with the loss as six runs scored on nine hits with two walks, alongside six strikeouts. Keylon Reynolds pitched an inning in relief with one hit, one walk, and one strikeout.
Game 2: Catawba 6, Tusculum 5
The Pioneers left 14 runners on base for the tight loss in game two. Nearly half of the contest's runs were scored in the first frame.
Jimenez raced out an infield single, ahead of Smeltzer's RBI triple, the first of her career. Sappington drew a walk and advanced to second on a Madison Watts groundout. Hayley Lazo and Maddie McBride were plunked in consecutive at-bats. This marks Lazo's 20th career hit by pitch, tying her for second in program history, while McBride drove in the game's second run.
Catawba took the lead with a three-run homer in the bottom half of the first. After a pitching change by Tusculum, nine-straight Indians were sat down in order, going into the fourth.
Katelynn Hodges doubled down the left field line to start the second and was bunted over by Newport. Jimenez and Hodges executed a squeeze bunt to tie the contest.
The Pioneers had a runner reach third in the third but the third out was made before scoring.
Tusculum also had the bases loaded in the fourth, yet no run scored. Newport and Smeltzer singled, followed by a two-out Sappington walk.
Catawba took its second lead of game two with a pair of hits and a steal.
The Pioneers' tied the game up for a second time with a run in the fifth. Lazo and McBride launched back-to-back doubles to swap places. Hodges and Newport singled to load the bases with one out, but Tusculum net just the single run.
TU added its fifth run to hold a one-run edge over the home Indians. Watts doubled to right field, as Freischmidt entered as the pinch runner, scoring on Lazo's RBI single.
Looking for more insurance, Newport singled to lead off the seventh. Jimenez laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Newport never got beyond second.
Catawba was able to load the bases with one out in the seventh. Two scored on a single to walk-off the Pioneers.
Ireland Cavanaugh had a rough start, surrendering three runs on five hits without an out. Reynolds (2-2) pitched 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, four walks, and five strikeouts (the most since her season debut). Sappington came in for the save opportunity, but the lone batter faced recorded the game-winning hit with the runs credited to Reynolds.
