WISE, Va. — The Tusculum University softball team extended its winning streak to seven, sweeping UVA Wise on Monday (Apr. 8) night behind 22 runs and 33 hits.
Tusculum (22-17, 12-6 SAC) begins a four-series homestand on Wednesday (Apr. 10) against in-state rival Carson-Newman. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 13, UVA Wise 2
The Pioneer offense tallied 16 hits, belting four home runs in the game one domination of the Cavaliers. Claire Smeltzer and Ellie Alvarez were a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Emily Sappington drove in four runs. Additionally, Alvarez tied the program’s single-game stolen base record with four in the opener.
Tusculum broke the scoreless tie in the third inning. With two outs, Brooke Smith singled on the first pitch she saw, stealing second quickly after. Smeltzer took a 3-0 pitch to right center, doubling in Smith.
The Pioneers added a pair to their lead in the fourth. Alvarez outran an infield single, stealing second and third with Sappington at the plate. The pitcher pulled a pitch over the right field fence for her first home run of the season and the fifth of her career.
In the fifth, TU plated four runs on consecutive pitches. Smith bunted for a single with one out. Smeltzer hit a single back up the middle on the first pitch she saw. Gabi Nicholson doubled down the left field line on the very next pitch, scoring Smith. Sammy Jimenez extended her single-season home run record with her 13th of the 2024 campaign, as Tusculum notched a hit on three-straight pitches.
After being held scoreless in the sixth inning, the Pioneers went for six in the seventh. Smeltzer and Nicholson singled to lead off the frame, with Kylie Darrow entering to run for the latter. With one out, Alvarez singled to load the bases. Sappington plated two runners on her single. Caylen Conrad came in to run for the pitcher as Riley Hope stepped in to pinch hit. Hope took the second pitch to center field, blasting her first homer as a Pioneer. Makayla Bush was tabbed to hit for Jason two batters later, notching her second homer of the season and career.
The three blemishes for Sappington were walking Sarah Barrett twice, once in the second and once in the seventh. The lone hit was a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the seventh by Mallory McKnight.
Sappington (8-5) allowed just the one hit for her third win in as many starts. She gave up just two free passes on an even 100 pitches, striking out 13.
Game 2: Tusculum 9, UVA Wise 2
TU kept up its prolific offense, tallying 17 hits in the nightcap to earn a seventh-straight victory. Jason, Alvarez, and Alyssa Barbrick all went 3-for-4 in the batter’s box.
UVA Wise scored first in game two as Tusculum trailed for the first time in the series. A one-out homer gave the Cavaliers the early lead and a RBI single four batters later added on.
TU would score nine unanswered to complete the sweep.
In the third, Jason and Smith went back-to-back with singles to lead off the frame. Smeltzer lined out on the next pitch, but UVA Wise threw the ball away trying to turn a double play, allowing Jason to score from third and Smith to move up two bags. Smith crossed the plate on a Jimenez single.
Abby Hunter struck out as the second batter in the fourth but reached on a throwing error by the catcher. Jason singled, moving Hunter up to second. Smith grounded out and both runners were able to advance. Smeltzer capitalized, driving in both runners to give Tusculum the lead.
Barbrick doubled with two outs in the fifth to keep the inning alive. She moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch, scoring on Maddie McBride‘s single up the middle.
A four-run sixth inning provided the Pioneers cushion. Smeltzer and Nicholson went back-to-back with singles, as Darrow came in to run for Nicholson. Smeltzer scored on Alvarez’s single to right, with the other runners moving up an extra base on the throw home. Barbrick plated Darrow with her single to center. Conrad pinch ran for Barbrick. Another run scored due to an error on the infield as McBride hit into a fielder’s choice. Attempting to get Alvarez out at third, the ball was not caught cleanly, allowing her to score and Conrad to reach third. She scored on the next play, a groundout by Hunter.
Ireland Cavanaugh was named the starter for game two but was pulled after 2.1 innings. The senior right-hander relented two runs on two hits with three walks and one strikeout. Natalie Spaitis (4-2) entered in relief, tossing the remaining 4.2 frames. She struck out four, allowed two hits and walked one.
