GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team faced off against the No. 6 Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters to open their conference schedule. The Pioneers battled, but ultimately fell 14-7 and 4-3, respectively.
TU will next take to the field on Saturday (Mar. 13) at Mars Hill for a tilt starting at noon.
Game 1: No. 6 Lincoln Memorial 14, Tusculum 7
The Pioneers held an early two-run lead before two big innings by LMU sunk the upset. Alexis Grampp provided over half of Tusculum's runs, while Mya Maddox went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate.
With one out in the third, Maddox and Anna Alloway knocked back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Grampp doubled to left center to score Maddox and Claire Smeltzer came up to the plate. She grounded out to first, but Alloway made a veteran move and scored.
Lincoln Memorial plated eight runners in the next half inning to shoot out ahead of the home team, only five of which were earned.
Tusculum had a big spurt of its own in the fifth. Brittney Franse and Maddox hit infield singles to bring up Alloway. She pushed a single up the middle to score a speedy Franse. Grampp launched her first of two three-run home runs on the day, plating Maddox and Angela Masiello, who entered as a pinch runner for Alloway. Kaylee Higgins then collected her first collegiate hit to drive in Claire Crout after her double.
LMU raked in five more unearned runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Delilah Malczewski went four innings in the circle, allowing five earned runs and striking out one. Nancy-Jo Roberts made her first appearance as a Pioneer, going 1.2 innings without allowing an earned run and notched her first collegiate strikeout. Keylon Reynolds wrapped up the game with 1.1 innings pitched and also did not relent an earned run.
Game 2: No. 6 Lincoln Memorial 4, Tusculum 3
Grampp belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to provide the scoring for the Pioneers in game two. Kaitlyn Pickens threw all 146 pitches against LMU and struck out nine in the loss.
The Railsplitters struck first with a two out, two RBI double in the opening frame. Another double in the third stretched the lead by one.
In the bottom of the third, Maddox stepped in with two outs and laid down a bunt for a single. Alloway followed with a single to right center to advance the centerfielder to third. Grampp hit a no-doubter just inside the right foul pole to even up the scoreboard.
The winning run for LMU came soon after. The visitors loaded the bases with no outs and hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating the fourth run of the contest.
Tusculum had runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth and were the only two left on base in the nightcap. Maddox (2), Alloway, and Grampp accounted for all four hits and every run that scored.
