GREENWOOD, S.C. — The Tusculum University softball dropped its final non-conference series of the season on Tuesday (Apr. 21) at Lander.
Tusculum (20-28, 6-14 SAC) closes out its season on Saturday (Apr. 25) at Newberry with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Game 1: Lander 5, Tusculum 1
Lander allowed just one unearned run to cross the plate in the opening victory over Tusculum. The Bearcats’ Mattye Geddings relented just four hits and two walks to the Pioneers.
The home team scored three runs on four-straight hits with two outs in the third.
Tusculum snuck across a run in the fifth. Addison Hoffner drew a leadoff, four-pitch walk, with Lily Kate Cariaco coming in the pinch run. Abby Cruz knocked a pinch-hit single through the right side to move Cariaco up 60 feet. Muriel Dillow attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt but the throw went array, which allowed the lead runner to score.
Lander tacked on a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to reach the final score.
Chelsey Stonesifer (17-8) allowed five runs on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts in the circle.
Game 2: Lander 8, Tusculum 0 (5 innings)
The Bearcats were the first time to run-rule the Pioneers in five innings since March 24. Dillow went 2-for-2 to record nearly half of Tusculum’s five hits.
Lander had its first three batters of the nightcap reach base before back-to-back fielder’s choice by the TU defense cut the runner down at home. However, consecutive singles and a Tusculum miscue allowed four runners to score.
The Bearcats were able to score once more in the third on a failed pickoff attempt.
Lander’s run in the fourth was on a double-steal that got the runner out at second, but the runner from third came home safely.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bearcats enacted the run-rule with their eight-run advantage. The first two batters reached on hits, then were bunted over. The game ended on a two RBI single back up the middle.
Dani Beckham (1-7) threw three innings in the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits with one walk and one strikeout. Aleyia Satterfield tossed the final 1.1 frames with two runs scoring on five hits with a walk.
