CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Tusculum University softball dropped a doubleheader at Lee on Tuesday (Apr. 14) in non-conference action.
Tusculum (19-25, 5-13 SAC) returns home for Senior Day on Saturday, April 18. The Pioneers will honor Kylie Darrow, Dani Beckham, MacKenzy Angle, and Ellie Alvarez prior to the 1 p.m. first pitch.
Game 1: Lee 8, Tusculum 2
The Flames had two big innings to take the opener over the Pioneers.
Tusculum scored once in the first and one in the sixth. Abby Hunter raced out an infield single to lead off the day, which was confirmed upon review. She quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on an Alvarez groundout. Ella Majchrzak singled to left to plate Hunter. In the sixth, Alvarez drew a leadoff walk, moving up on a Majchrzak single to left. Darrow grounded out to short in her pinch-hit appearance, but the runners advanced. Kaylee Adkins, who came in defensively the inning prior, notched her first collegiate RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.
Lee took advantage of a TU miscue to score in the third to tie the contest. The Flames added four in the fourth, highlighted by a three-run home run. In the fifth, the home team scored three runs with two outs and the bases loaded.
Chelsey Stonesifer (16-7) was tagged with the loss after giving up a season-high in runs. She allowed eight runs (seven earned) on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts, She also hit a batter for the first time this season. Dani Beckham pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing just two hits with four groundouts.
Game 2: Lee 12, Tusculum 5
Hunter came a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 in the nightcap.
Lee got on the board in the second with a sacrifice fly.
Tusculum responded with three in the third. Hunter doubled to center with one out, followed by an Abby Cruz walk. The runners stole a base each ahead of an Alvarez single to center which scored them both. Alvarez advanced to second on a throw to the plate, scoring on Majchrzak’s single.
The Pioneers tacked on in the fourth. Faith Gibbs drew a one-out walk with MacKenzy Angle coming in to pinch run. She stole second and scored on Hunter’s two-out triple.
The Flames responded with three runs in the home half of the inning to tie the game at 4-all. Lee tallied a solo home run and two unearned runs on a triple.
Taylor Hancock blasted her first home run of the season with two out in the fifth to pull Tusculum ahead by one.
However, Lee retaliated with eight runs in the fifth, powered by a three-run homer and six walks by the TU pitching staff.
Tusculum used four pitchers in the contest. Aleyia Satterfield went 3.1 innings in the start, allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits with three walks. Beckham pitched two-thirds of an inning, relenting three runs (two earned) on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. Stonesifer (16-8) was credited with her second loss of the day after giving up three runs on one hit with two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Izzy Wilson threw the final 1.1 frames with no hits to two walks.
