GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Tusculum University’s Chelsey Stonesifer pitched a five-hit shutout to pace the Pioneers to split a South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader with Mars Hill University Tuesday afternoon at Red Edmonds Field.
Stonesifer, the reigning Tennessee Sportswriters Association’s Pitcher of the Week, recorded her fifth shutout of the season in Tusculum’s 2-0 victory in the opener. The Lions (26-12, 7-7 SAC) bounced back in the night-cap as Bri Weimer went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Kamryn Akins tossed a three-hit shutout in a 7-0 win over the Pioneers (16-22, 4-12 SAC).
Game 1: Tusculum 2, Mars Hill 0
Stonesifer (14-6) recorded her 13th complete game of the year as she scattered five singles, two walks and posted eight strikeouts as she didn’t allow a runner to reach third base in her 115-pitch masterpiece.
Meanwhile, Tusculum got all the offense it needed in the second inning when Andrea Davis led off with a single, moved to second on a bunt and Stonesifer got aboard with a walk. Addison Hoffner stepped up and belted a two-run double to left center to drive in Davis and Stonesifer with the only runs of the contest.
Mars Hill threatened in the fourth and sixth innings getting the first two batters aboard in each frame. In the fourth, with runners at first and second base, Stonesifer got out of the jam with a pair of fly outs and a strikeout. In the sixth frame, following back-to-back singles from Weimer and Mia Sholter, Stonesifer fanned the next three batters to maintain the shutout.
In the seventh, Stonesifer worked around a two-out single and notched her eighth strikeout to end the game.
Mars Hill starting pitcher Maddy Lowry (2-1) tossed a gem herself as she limited Tusculum to a pair of hits, four walks and three strikeouts as she went the distance in her six-inning complete game.
Stonesifer’s five shutouts are tied for the sixth-most by a Pioneer in a single-season.
Game 2: Mars Hill 7, Tusculum 0
Mars Hill scored five runs in the second inning, while Akins scattered three singles in a 7-0 win over Tusculum in Tuesday’s second game.
The Lions sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning, including a RBI double by Jessica Senn, a two-run single by Daci Sarver and Weimer’s infield RBI hit as Mars Hill took a 5-0 lead.
MHU added two more scores in the sixth on Weimer’s two-run homer to cap the scoring for the Lions.
Mars Hill finished the game with 10 hits, while Akins walked one and struck out five in her 86-pitch performance to improve to 12-3 on the season.
Tusculum returns action this Saturday when they host 18th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University for a 2 p.m. doubleheader. Saturday is Alumni Weekend for the TU softball program.
