GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Tusculum University softball team reached the 20-win mark, including a 10-0 mark at home, with a doubleheader sweep of UNC Pembroke on Saturday (Mar. 1) at Red Edmonds Field. The Pioneers now lead NCAA Division II with 21 wins.
Tusculum (21-1) continues its homestand with a pair of South Atlantic Conference series, beginning with Coker on March 4. First pitch between the Pioneers and Cobras is scheduled for noon.
Game 1: Tusculum 10, UNC Pembroke 2 (6 innings)
The Pioneers run-ruled the Braves in game one as Brooke Smith went 4-for-4 and Caylen Conrad launched her first home run as a Pioneer.
UNC Pembroke opened the scoring with a single, sacrifice bunt, and a RBI double in the first inning.
Tusculum responded with two in the home half of the frame. Smith singled on a bunt and advanced to second on an Ellie Alvarez single. Both runners scored on a Sammy Jimenez double.
The Pioneers added three more in the second. Conrad reached on an error, moving up to second on a Danielle Jason bunt single. Conrad scored on Smith’s single and both Jason and Smith came home on Alvarez’s single.
TU kept up the offense with Conrad’s homer in the third. Alyssa Barbrick singled to left with one out before Emma Golden came in to pinch run. Conrad lofted the pitch over the right field fence.
A lead-off home run in the top of the fifth by UNCP made the game 7-2.
Tusculum scored three in the bottom of the sixth to enforce the run-rule. Smith bunted for a single and stole second. Jimenez drew a two-out walk, with both scoring on a Gabi Nicholson birthday double. Katie Jones came in as a pinch runner, scoring on Megan Ackerman‘s game-ending RBI single.
Ackerman (8-1) picked up the complete game victory in six innings pitched. She allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts.
Game 2: Tusculum 7, UNC Pembroke 1
Nyah Vogel took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, while the Pioneers capitalized on Braves’ miscues to score five unearned runs.
Tusculum scored three unearned runs in the first to take the lead. Jason reached on a fielding error, stole second, advanced to third and scored on a pair of wild pitches. Smith and Alvarez drew back-to-back walks, moving up on groundout. Nicholson launched a sacrifice fly to score Smith. Barbrick singled through the left side to bring Alvarez home.
The Pioneers added four more in the third to lead 7-0. Smith drew a lead-off walk and stole second. Jimenez singled through the right side as Smith scored on a fielding error by the right fielder. Nicholson and Barbrick knocked consecutive singles to score Jimenez. Jones ran for Barbrick and stole second. With two outs, Conrad reached on a fielding error, which scored both Nicholson and Jones.
UNC Pembroke avoided the shutout with a two-out in the sixth.
Vogel (4-0) pitched a complete game, allowing one run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
