AMERICUS, Ga. --- The Tusculum University softball team split a pair of five-inning contests on the final day of the Cougar-Hurricane Classic.

Tusculum (6-7) returns home to Red Edmonds Field on Thursday (Feb. 22), hosting Converse. The Pioneers and Valkyries have scheduled first pitch for 2 p.m.

Game 1: Tusculum 20, Point 1 (5 innings)
The Pioneers won back-to-back games for the first time this season with their blowout of the Skyhawks. Tusculum scored at least one run in each innings, including a high of eight in the fourth.

TU dealt a devastating blow early to Point. Danielle Jason led off the game with an infield single and stole second. Sammy Jimenez and Gabi Nicholson drew walks to load the bases for Maddie McBride. She drilled her second home run in as many days, this time a grand slam.

Ellie Alvarez led off the second with a homer of her own. Jimenez drew a two-out walk, followed by a single from Claire Smeltzer. After Smeltzer stole second, Nicholson doubled to left center to clear the bases.

Point's lone run came in the bottom half of the inning. The Skyhawks tallied an infield single with two runners on.

Tusculum got the run back in the third. Riley Hope reached on a throwing error and stole second. She advanced to third on a Zoe Wills groundout. Hope was plated on an Alvarez sacrifice fly.

The Pioneers scored eight runs on eight hits with two errors in the fourth inning. Abby Hunter started the scoring off after working a walk then a steal. She scored after Jimenez reached on an error. Smeltzer singled to put runners on the corners. Smeltzer stole second and Jimenez was able to score on a throwing error by the catcher. Kylie Darrow knocked a pinch hit single into right to plate Smeltzer and stole second. Freshman Faith Gibbs hit her first collegiate homer over the left center fence, a two-run shot, with two outs. Alvarez followed with a single and steal to bring up Brooke Smith. She singled and advanced all the way to third after a throw to the plate, scoring Alvarez. Batting around, Hunter singled back up the middle to bring Smith home, then proceeded to steal both second and third. Alyssa Barbrick cashed in with an infield single to score Hunter, her second run of the inning.

Tusculum tacked on four more in the fifth. Darrow worked a leadoff walk and Caylen Conrad singled back up the middle. Wills and Alvarez collected consecutive hits to score three teammates, while a Hunter groundout scored the final run of the game.

Ireland Cavanaugh (2-3) pitched three innings of two-hit, one-run ball. She walked three, but struck out a trio. Keylon Reynolds finished out the contest with two innings of action. She allowed one hit and one walk, striking out a single batter.

Game 2: Georgia Southwestern 8, Tusculum 0 (5 innings)
The second game was the polar opposite of the opener, as the Pioneers only garnered two hits and were run-ruled.

The lone baserunners for TU were McBride (hit by pitch), Emily Sappington (single), and Smith (triple).

Georgia Southwestern used a trio of home runs and a bases-clearing triple to do its damage.

Emily Sappington (1-2) was tabbed with the loss after pitching two innings. She relented five runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks, while striking out three. Natalie Spaitis ate up the remaining 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and a single strikeout.