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Tusculum clinches SAC tournament berth on Senior Day

Tusculum clinches SAC tournament berth on Senior Day

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team split with Newberry on Senior Day to clinch a spot in the conference tournament. Prior to the start of the doubleheader, TU honored nine Pioneers: Danielle Jason, Nyah Vogel, Alyssa Barbrick, Riley Hope, Gabi Nicholson, Makayla Bush, Caylen Conrad, Madison Watts, and Megan Ackerman.

Tusculum (35-15, 13-11 SAC) has a non-conference tuneup before the postseason, hosting regional foe Lander on Tuesday (Apr. 22) for a 1 p.m. twinbill.

Game 1: Tusculum 7, Newberry 3
Megan Ackerman pitched a complete game in the circle, while Brooke Smith and Sammy Jimenez tallied three hits apiece. Abby Hunter drove in three runs for TU.

The Pioneers scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the first. Danielle Jason led off with a single and was thrown out stealing. Smith bunted for a single as Ellie Alvarez reached on an error. The next five Pioneers drove in a run. Jimenez singled up the middle to score Smith as Alvarez moved up to third. Hunter lined out to left field for a sacrifice fly, plating Alvarez. Gabi Nicholson and Ella Majchrzak launched back-to-back doubles, with the latter on a 3-2 count. Alyssa Barbrick singled to score Majchrzak.

Newberry got on the board with a leadoff solo home run in the second.

Tusculum extended its lead with two runs in the second. Alvarez reached on a fielder's choice, followed by a Jimenez single on a 3-2 count with two outs. Hunter legged out a bases-clearing triple for TU's last runs of the contest.

The Wolves tacked on one unearned run in the fifth with a two-out RBI single.

Tusculum limited the damage in the sixth as Newberry had the bases loaded with no outs in the frame. The Wolves notched a hit by a pitch, single and drew a walk. TU got the next three out on a fielder's choice, groundout, and a lineout to the outfield.

Ackerman (19-7) tossed all seven innings, allowing seven hits, three runs (two earned), one walk, and three strikeouts on 123 pitches.

Game 2: Newberry 11, Tusculum 6
The Wolves scored six unanswered runs to salvage a split and keep their postseason hopes alive. Smith (3), Alvarez (2), Majchrzak (2), and Caylen Conrad (2) all had multi-hit games as the Pioneers left 14 runners on base in the nightcap. Defensively, Tusculum completed three double plays.

Nyah Vogel got the first two outs of the game before surrendering three-straight walks. Natalie Spaitis entered in relief to toss the lone strikeout of the game for the staff with the bases loaded.

The Pioneers led 5-0 after two innings. Jason ricochet a single off of the pitcher, followed by Smith bunting for a single, trucking a Newberry player down the line. Alvarez loaded the bases on a single as Smith was called out but ruled safe upon a huddle from the umpires. Jimenez and Hunter both recorded sacrifice flies in consecutive at bats. Nicholson walked to put runners on the corners. Majchrzak doubled in both Alvarez and Nicholson with two outs.

Conrad launched the second homer of her TU career to lead off the second inning.

Newberry tied the game at 5-all with six hits, including three-straight to start the third frame. The Wolves also laid down two sacrifice bunts in the span.

Tusculum retook the lead with a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the third. Majchrzak singled to center with one out, moving up on a wild pitch. Barbrick drew a 10-pitch walk ahead of Conrad's four-pitch free-pass to load the bases. Jason drew a walk to rotate her teammates 60 feet, plating Majchrzak.

The Wolves tied the game once again at 6-6 with a two-out RBI double in the fifth.

Newberry belted two homers in the sixth to go ahead 9-6 in the game.

The visitors added two insurance runs in the seventh. Newberry was hit by a pitch, walked, singled, reached on a fielder's choice, and singled in two runs before the Pioneers' third double play of the contest.

Tusculum had two runners on with one out in the seventh but back-to-back groundouts ended the day.

TU used four pitchers in the contest. Nyah Vogel got the start, tossing 0.2 innings with three walks to her credit. Natalie Spaitis threw 3.1 frames, allowing five runs on five hits and the lone Tusculum strikeout. Ackerman (19-8) got the result, surrendering six runs (four earned) on five hits with two walks. Dani Beckham got the final two outs of the game, needing just four pitches.

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