CENTRAL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team suffered its first loss of 2025 at Southern Wesleyan on Friday (Feb. 21). Both teams entered the twin-bill undefeated before the series split.
Tusculum (13-1) stays in South Carolina for another doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 22) at Erskine. First pitch from Due West is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Game 1: Tusculum 3, Southern Wesleyan 1
Megan Ackerman struck out a career-best 12 batters as Gabi Nicholson drove in a pair of runs in the come from behind victory over the Warriors. The comeback handed Southern Wesleyan its first loss of the season (8-1).
SWU took the early lead in game one on a solo home run in the first inning. With two outs, Amberly Way took a 2-2 pitch over the center field fence.
TU was held in check until the sixth. Brooke Smith legged out a bunt single but was called out on Ellie Alvarez's fielder's choice. Sammy Jimenez reached on an infield error. Nicholson delivered a one-out double to score both Alvarez and Jimenez. Ackerman walked and Riley Hope pinch-hit a single to load the bases for Hailey Nichols. The freshman grounded out but Nicholson was able to come home for the third run.
Ackerman struck out three in the third and the side to close out the game in the seventh inning.
Ackerman (6-0) tossed the complete game, allowing three hits, one run and one walk while striking out 12 Warriors.
Game 2: Southern Wesleyan 11, Tusculum 10
SWU's Way hit a walk-off home run to put an end to TU's perfect season.
Tusculum struck first in the second game, plating three in the opening frame. Danielle Jason reached on an error by the pitcher. She quickly stole second and advanced to third on another error. Smith singled to drive in Jason, moving up to second on the throw. She stole third as Alvarez singled and stole second. With one out, Jimenez raced out an infield single to move her teammates up 60 feet, including scoring Smith. Alvarez later scored on a passed ball.
Southern Wesleyan responded to take the lead with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. A lead-off walk was followed by a double and a triple, with two runs later scoring on a bases loaded single.
The Warriors later extended the advantage to 7-3 in the third. A two-out, two-run homer did most of the damage, followed by three-straight singles.
TU got two runs back in the fourth. Alyssa Barbrick led off with a double to left center with Katie Jones entering to pinch-run. She advanced to third on a fly out, scoring on Abby Hunter's sacrifice fly. With two outs, Jason singled through the right side and stole second, coming home on a Smith single to center.
SWU tacked on with its own sacrifice fly in the bottom part of the frame.
Down 8-5, Tusculum began its rally in the sixth. Hunter crushed a lead-off triple to right center, scoring as Smith reached on an error. Smith stole second and advanced to third on an Alvarez single to put runners on the corners with one out. After a pitching change, Nicholson doubled to right center, scoring the lead runners. Emma Golden entered to pinch-run at second, moving to third on a passed ball. She scored on a Jimenez triple, who then came home on an Ella Majchrzak groundout.
The Warriors came back to tie the game at 10-all in the home half of the sixth inning. Southern Wesleyan scored two runs on three hits.
Tusculum went down in order in the seventh.
Way belted her second home run of the series with one out in the bottom of the seventh to split the doubleheader.
Natalie Spaitis got the start, going just 2.2 innings, while relenting seven runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Nyah Vogel entered in relief to toss 2.1 frames, allowing one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Ackerman (6-1) pitched the final 1.1 innings to pick up her second result of the day. She gave up three runs on four hits with one free pass.
