WINGATE, N.C. — The Tusculum University softball team had its season come to an end at the hands of two top-25 teams in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Saturday (Apr. 27).
Tusculum (30-22) finishes with its most wins in a season since 2014.
Game 1: No. 7 Wingate 2, Tusculum 1
The Bulldogs and Pioneers pooled for just six hits in the day two opener, including a pair of home runs. Emily Sappington and Hali Scott dueled to combine for 19 strikeouts in the circle.
This was only the 10th time that Wingate has been held to two runs or less on the season, moving to 4-6 in such games.
With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, SAC Player of the Year Savanna Brooks drew a walk. The pitcher Scott doubled her in as the next batter.
Tusculum’s lone run came off of the bat of Sammy Jimenez. She belted a homer to center field, extending the TU single-season record to 14.
The nationally-ranked Bulldogs pulled ahead with a leadoff home run by Ragan Liles in the fourth.
Danielle Jason reached on an error with one out in the sixth, but three of the next five Pioneers struck out to close the game.
Sappington (14-6) dropped her first start in exactly a month, ending a streak of nine-straight wins. She finished with two runs on four hits with a walk and seven strikeouts on just 81 pitches.
Game 2: No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Tusculum 4
The Bears used their second walk-off of the day to score five unanswered runs and survive the Pioneers, keeping their SAC title hopes alive.
Jason led off the contest with an infield single, quickly stealing second. Claire Smeltzer drove her in on a RBI single to right center. With two outs, Sappington knocked her first career triple down the right field line to plate Smeltzer. She was brought home on a Jimenez double.
Tusculum added its fourth run in the second inning. Abby Hunter reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, hustling her way to third. Maddie McBride struck out, but Hunter was able to score as the catcher was unable to field the pitch.
Lenoir-Rhyne proceeded to score the next five runs in the game, starting with a leadoff homer in the second. Three-straight hits in the fifth brought the game to within one run. A solo home run in the sixth tied the game. The Bears’ batter to start the seventh struck out, but reached on a passed ball. A double soon after allowed the winning run to score.
Sappington (14-7) started the contest, was replaced by Natalie Spaitis in the second inning, and took the loss after returning for the seventh. In all, the senior pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts. Spaitis tossed five innings in relief, surrendering three runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout.
