HARROGATE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team split its South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Wednesday (Mar. 13) afternoon at Lincoln Memorial.
Tusculum (12-11, 3-1 SAC) steps out of conference play to host Fairmont State on Thursday (Mar. 14). The doubleheader between the Pioneers and Fighting Falcons is scheduled to start at 12 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 7, Lincoln Memorial 6
Claire Smeltzer belted two home runs within the first three frames as TU rallied for a seventh inning comeback in game one at LMU.
With two outs in the first inning, Smeltzer took a ball over the left field fence, giving the Pioneers an early lead.
The Railsplitters responded with three unearned runs in the bottom half of the frame.
Smeltzer struck again in the third, this time with a three-run shot. Abby Hunter led off with a double and Brooke Smith singled to put a pair of runners on for the left fielder.
LMU tied the game at 4-all in the fifth inning with a leadoff homer of its own, while a RBI single in the sixth put the Railsplitters ahead.
TU poured on three runs to overtake the advantage in the seventh. Hunter, Danielle Jason, and Smith rattled off three-straight singles for the first score. Smeltzer walked to load the bases with Caylen Conrad entering to run. Gabi Nicholson launched a sacrifice fly to score Jason as the second run. Ellie Alvarez doubled as Smith scored and Conrad was thrown out at the plate.
LMU got one run back via a home run.
Emily Sappington got the start but was pulled after 1.1 innings, relenting one hit, three unearned runs, five walks, and three strikeouts. Natalie Spaitis (3-2) pitched the remaining 5.2 frames, allowing five hits, three runs, one walk, and tied her career-best seven strikeouts.
Game 2: Lincoln Memorial 7, Tusculum 3
The Railsplitters used a seven-run frame to overtake the Pioneers and salvage a split in Harrogate.
Tusculum got the scoring started in the third. Hunter doubled, followed by a Jason infield single. Jason quickly stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Smith singled for the third-straight hit in the frame to plate Hunter, while Jason was thrown out at home.
The Pioneers tacked on a run in the fifth using a pair of Railsplitter errors. Jason reached on a fielding error by the pitcher, stole second, and advanced on a flyout. She snuck in to score as Smeltzer reached on another infield miscue.
LMU scored seven times on four hits in the fifth. The TU pitching staff walked four batters and hit two in the frame, directly resulting in three runs coming in.
Tusculum started the sixth with back-to-back hits from Alvarez and Sammy Jimenez, with Maddie McBride laying down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Alvarez scored on a groundout by Alyssa Barbrick.
TU used four pitchers in the contest. Sappington tossed 2.2 innings of one-hit, four-walk ball with a trio of strikeouts. Ireland Cavanaugh (3-5) picked up the result after 1.2 frames, allowing five runs on three hits alongside two walks and two strikeouts. Nyah Vogel faced three batters, walking two and hitting one, with a pair scoring. Keylon Reynolds finished out the contest, shutting out the Railsplitters over 1.2 innings with two hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
