GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team continued its perfect start with a sweep of West Virginia State on Valentine's Day.
Tusculum (10-0) is scheduled to make its first out-of-state trip of the season, facing Augusta on Monday (Feb. 17) in a noon doubleheader.
Game 1: Tusculum 10, West Virginia St. 2 (6 innings)
Sammy Jimenez moved into a tie for fourth place with 21 career home runs at Tusculum to run-rule WVSU in the opener.
Danielle Jason drew a walk to start off the bottom of the first, moving over to second on a groundout. She stole third and was able to score on Ellie Alvarez's groundout.
Jason worked a walk on a full-count with one out in the third inning. After a Brooke Smith single and a sacrifice bunt by Alvarez, the Pioneers had two runners in scoring position with two outs. Jimenez earned a walk to load the bases. Gabi Nicholson hit a scorcher to the shortstop, who was unable to field it cleanly, as both Jason and Smith scored.
The Yellow Jackets finally broke through in the fourth. After back-to-back singles, WVSU laid down a sacrifice to score the runner at third. A groundout plated the other runner.
Tusculum responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Megan Ackerman cued up a double to center with Emma Golden entering to run. Alyssa Barbrick bunted for a single to put Pioneers on the corners. Barbrick advanced on a groundout. Jason singled down the third base line to score Golden. Jason stole her second bag of the day as both she and Barbrick came home on a Smith double. Alvarez switched places with Smith on her double following the pitching change.
Up 7-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, TU came up with three-straight hits to close out the game early. Smith legged out a bunt and advanced on the missed catch by the first baseman. Alvarez singled and advanced on the throw for two runners in scoring position with no outs. Jimenez stepped in and belted her first homer of the season, putting the Pioneers ahead by the needed margin.
Megan Ackerman (3-0) struck out seven Yellow Jackets in the complete game outing. She allowed only three hits and two runs across 76 pitches.
Game 2: Tusculum 4, West Virginia St. 3
For the fourth time this season, the Pioneers came out on the winning side of a one-run ballgame. Natalie Spaitis moved into a tie for the national lead with her fifth victory of the young season.
Tusculum struck first in the bottom of the first. Jason singled through the left side, stole second, and advanced to third on a Smith bunt single. As Smith was stealing second, Jason was able to score on the low throw by the catcher. Smith moved up to third on a groundout and scored on a Jimenez grounder.
West Virginia State got a run back in the second. The Yellow Jackets were able to load the bases with two outs, but the damage was done with a single.
The score remained 2-1 until the fourth. Jimenez drew a four-pitch walk, followed by Nicholson reaching on a fielder's choice. Barbrick and Kylie Darrow knocked singles into the outfield to score the pair.
WVSU started chipping into the TU lead in the sixth. The visitors had a batter hit by a pitch and steal second before scoring on a two-out double.
The Yellow Jackets inched closer with a run in the seventh, but Spaitis finished what she started. WVSU had a leadoff double, which scored on back-to-back groundouts. Spaitis struck out the final batter of the game to set a new career high.
Spaitis (5-0) threw her second complete game of the year with a collegiate-best eight strikeouts. She walked one batter while allowing five hits and three runs on 119 pitches.
