Tucker, Gallagher power Softball to Day Two of SAC Softball Championship

Hickory, N.C. —- The Catawba College softball team dropped its opener in the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Softball Championship, but bounced back with a mercy-rule win over Limestone to advance to day two of the tournament. The Catawba Indians move to 26-18 overall on the season and pick up their first conference tournament win since 2016.

GAME ONE | Lincoln Memorial 8, Catawba 6

Riley Tucker led the way offensively for Catawba in game one, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. Bri Gallagher added a pair of hits as well. Sterre den Duijn led LMU with a key two-run home run.

The Railsplitters jumped on Catawba for five runs in the bottom of the first and kept Catawba scoreless until the fourth inning. 

Courtnee Carter drove in a run on a double down the left field line and later scored on a sac fly from Savanna Balderston. Tucker then hit a three-run home run to bring Catawba all the way back and tie the game at 5.

LMU responded in the sixth, when Kelsie Tuggle scored a run on a base hit and den Duijn added two insurance runs with a homer to right field. Tucker homered again to lead off the seventh, but the Railsplitters closed the door to advance to the winner's bracket.

Emma Frost earned the win for the Railsplitters in relief, allowing one run on just three hits in 3.1 innings. Alex Baquie took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in the final five frames.

GAME TWO | Catawba 12, Limestone 3 (5 innings)

Gallagher one-upped Tucker in game two, also hitting two home runs, but driving in a career-high seven runs to tie a school record. Kary Hales added a 3-for-3 game with a double and three runs scored and Molly Strider went 4-for-4 in the offensive explosion.

Catawba made sure to be the one to strike first in game two, as Tucker's two-out RBI single up the middle scored two. The team added three more runs in the second inning when Strider drove in a run on an RBI single and Madison Taylor plated two on an RBI double.

The Saints got three runs back in the third, highlighted by Santana Anderson's two-run homer to right field.

Catawba answered right back with a three-run homer off the bat of Gallagher and poured it on in the fifth when Gallagher hit a grand slam to put the game out of reach. 

Savannah Beaver earned the win in relief, tossing 2.2 shutout innings while allowing just three hits. 

Catawba looks to stay alive in the conference tournament at noon tomorrow, facing the loser of the LMU-Lenoir-Rhyne matchup at noon.