GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team shared run-rule victories with No. 8 North Georgia on Wednesday (Apr. 2) at Red Edmonds Field.
Tusculum (33-9, 11-7 SAC) has the weekend off. The Pioneers will travel to Lenoir-Rhyne on Wednesday (Apr. 9) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.
Game 1: #25 Tusculum 8, #8 North Georgia 0 (5 innings)
Megan Ackerman shutout the eighth-ranked team in the nation from the circle as Abby Hunter reached in all three plate appearances alongside a team-best two RBI.
Danielle Jason drew a walk to lead off the bottom half of the first inning. Brooke Smith followed with a bunt single. With one out, Sammy Jimenez stepped in, singling down the right field line, scoring Jason and Smith on an error. Hunter walked as both she and Jimenez advanced to scoring position on a groundout. Jimenez scored with Hailey Nichols reaching on UNG's second error of the inning.
TU tacked on three more runs in the second. Ella Majchrzak led off with a pinch hit home run on the 11th pitch of the at bat. Smith drew a 10-pitch walk two batters later, advancing on a groundout. Jimenez reached on a two-out error, sending Smith to third. The pair scored on back-to-back singles by Hunter and Gabi Nicholson.
Tusculum added another insurance run in the fourth. Jimenez reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. She scored on Hunter's single back up the middle.
The Pioneers ended the game with the eight-run difference in the bottom of the fifth. Nichols led off with a single through the left side and Riley Hope reached on an error to put two on with no outs. After consecutive outs, advancing the runners into scoring position, Smith hit a bloop single over the third baseman to score Nichols and seal the upset.
Ackerman (17-4) went the distance, tossing five innings on 63 pitches. She allowed four hits in the shutout, striking out three Nighthawks.
Game 2: #8 North Georgia 26, #25 Tusculum 1 (5 innings)
UNG got its revenge in the second game, recording 23 hits behind six TU errors. Jason went 3-for-3, scored the lone run, and recorded her first collegiate strikeout in the circle.
The Nighthawks hit three home runs throughout the contest, including a grand slam in the first. Eight of their runs are credited as unearned.
Tusculum's lone run came in the first. Jason led off with a first-pitch single, advancing on a groundout. She stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
TU used four pitchers in the loss: Ackerman (17-5), Natalie Spaitis, Dani Beckham, and Jason. Ackerman was tagged with the loss after one inning of work in the start. Beckham pitched a team-high 2.2 innings. Jason allowed the least amount of hits (3) and no earned runs in her debut, tossing the final frame.
