GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team swept Young Harris on Tuesday (Apr. 16) in a regional doubleheader, as the Pioneers have won three of their last four contests.
In game one, Emily Sappington collected her 600th career strikeout, increasing her program record. Gabi Nicholson tied the single-game sacrifice fly mark with a pair. In the nightcap, Abby Hunter became the fourth player to steal four bases in a single game.
Tusculum (26-19, 14-8 SAC) rounds out its South Atlantic Conference scheduled on Saturday (Apr. 20) at Newberry. First pitch from South Carolina is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 9, Young Harris 0 (5 innings)
Sappington threw a one-hit shutout as the Pioneer bats came alive to run-rule the Mountain Lions.
Both Danielle Jason and Claire Smeltzer both notched multiple hits in the victory, while three Pioneers were credited with a pair of RBI: Nicholson, Sammy Jimenez, and Makayla Bush. Ellie Alvarez also drew two walks.
Tusculum scored three runs in the first inning to take a commanding lead. Jason led off with a first-pitch bunt single, stealing second on Alvarez's four-pitch walk. Smeltzer singled up the middle, with both she and Alvarez advancing an extra bag on an outfield fielding error, while Jason scored with ease. Nicholson popped out to the shortstop, as the ball drifted far enough to allow Alvarez to touch home, her first of two sacrifice flies. Sappington also hit a single back up the middle to allow Smeltzer to score.
The Pioneers tacked on five extra runs in the third. With one out, Nicholson and Sappington drew consecutive walks on four pitches. Jimenez capitalized with a double to left, clearing the bases ahead of her. After a pitching change, Abby Hunter turned on the jets and tripled to right center to plate Jimenez. Bush made the most of her opportunity, belting the third home run of her career.
TU added an insurance run in the fourth. Alvarez waited out a four-pitch walk, stealing second. Smeltzer outran an infield single as Alvarez tagged third. Nicholson hit a shot out to right to tie the sacrifice fly record and plate her teammate.
Sappington (11-5) shutout Young Harris on only 78 pitches, striking out five with the one hit. The lone two base runners for the Mountain Lions came in the fourth.
Game 2: Tusculum 6, Young Harris 3
The Pioneers stole seven bases in the second game in securing the sweep over the Mountain Lions. Additionally, both Alvarez and Hunter went 3-for-3, while the former racked up four RBI.
Tusculum pulled out to an early 5-0 lead across the first two innings. Jason singled through the left side to lead off the bottom half of the first, stealing both second and third. Alvarez knocked a single into left to score Jason. Alvarez proceeded to steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch. Nicholson flew out for her third sacrifice fly of the doubleheader.
In the second, Hunter notched a leadoff single and stole second. Ireland Cavanaugh drew a 10-pitch walk, fouling off five pitches throughout the at bat. Hunter stole third to put runners at the corners for Jason. She singled to left center to easily plate Hunter and move Cavanaugh up to second. An Alvarez double scored both runners.
Young Harris hit a leadoff homer in the fourth to end its scoreless streak on the day.
The Mountain Lions added a run in the sixth with a two-out RBI single, scoring a runner from second.
TU got the run back in the bottom of the frame. Cavanaugh and Caylen Conrad were hit by pitches in back-to-back at bats, with Riley Hope running for the pitcher. Jason laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Hope scored on a sacrifice fly by Alvarez.
YHC added a run in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk with one out. The game ended on a double play as a ball back to Natalie Spaitis was tossed back to Jimenez, the catcher, who completed the outs with a throw down to Alyssa Barbrick at first.
Cavanaugh (9-10) picked up the win against her former team in her longest outing of the season. The senior went 6.0 frames, allowing three runs on six hits with a strikeout on 83 pitches. Natalie Spaitis finished out the seventh with two walks and a strikeout, assisting in the game-ending double play.
