HARTSVILLE, S.C. — Tusculum University softball opened its South Atlantic Conference (SAC) portion of the schedule at Coker on Tuesday (Mar. 10).
Tusculum (10-10, 1-1 SAC) stays on the road for conference play by traveling back to South Carolina to face Anderson on Saturday (Mar. 14) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Game 1: Tusculum 3, Coker 2
A RBI double by Chelsey Stonesifer in the top of the seventh pulled the Pioneers ahead before she shut down the Cobras from the circle to earn TU its first SAC victory of the season.
Tusculum scored twice in the third to gain the lead. Izzy Wilson led off the frame with a single to left. Abby Hunter laid down a sacrifice bunt which moved Wilson over to second. After rounding the bag, Wilson was tripped up by the shortstop and obstruction was called to advance her to third. Ella Majchrzak doubled to drive in Wilson and quickly moved to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Taylor Hancock singled to left to plate Majchrzak.
Coker used a two-run homer to tie the opener in the fourth inning.
The Pioneers loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth but could not convert.
TU made a two-out rally in the top of the seventh to regain the advantage. After the first two batters of the inning struck out, Hancock reached on an error by the Cobras’ shortstop. Stonesifer helped her own cause with a double to score Hancock all the way from first.
The ball never left the infield in the bottom of the seventh with a strikeout by Stonesifer and consecutive outs to Majchrzak at third.
Stonesifer (8-3) tossed another complete game, allowing two runs on three hits with four walks and nine strikeouts. She has now won six-straight starts.
Game 2: Coker 5, Tusculum 3
The Cobras made the most of Pioneer miscues to salvage a split in the second game of the day.
Tusculum broke through in the third after a leadoff single by Kylie Darrow, who advanced to second on a throwing error. She was bunted over by Muriel Dillow. Wilson scored Darrow on a sacrifice fly to center.
Coker took the lead in the fourth by using a pair of errors to score twice. The Cobras then added on with a three-run shot in the fifth.
The Pioneers closed the gap in the sixth inning. Majchrzak worked a full-count walk and Alvarez reached on an error. The duo were pinch run for by Lily Kate Cariaco and Catherine O’Donohue, respectively. Hancock was plunked by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. After consecutive fielder’s choice plays to cut the runner down at home, Andrea Davis singled in a run to score Hancock. A wild pitch scored TU’s final run with Hallows crossing the plate.
Tusculum notched two singles in the top of the seventh but the score remained 5-3 in Coker’s favor.
Aleyia Satterfield (2-4) tossed 4.2 innings in the start, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Dani Beckham pitched the final 1.1 frames, surrendering one walk to four strikeouts.
