Tuesday, March 25, 2008

BASILICATO SETS HOME RUN RECORD, PIONEERS SPLIT AT WISE

WISE, Va. --- Tusculum College’s Ashley Basilicato established a new school record with three home runs in a game as the Pioneers split a non-conference softball doubleheader at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Tuesday afternoon. The Pioneers (10-15) won the opener 7-6, while the Lady Cavs (5-7) plated eight runs in the opening inning and held off a late TC rally to hold on for the 10-9 win in the night-cap.

Basilicato also tied a school single-game record as she accounted for six RBI in the second game of the doubleheader. Basilicato’s three home run performance also tied a South Atlantic Conference record.

Game 1: Tusculum 7, UVa-Wise 6

Tusculum mounted a dozen hits and pitcher Holli Cadenhead went the distance for the complete victory in the opener, 7-6.

Lynnsey Jett, Lesli Huerta and Basilicato recorded two hits each in the Tusculum victory.

The Lady Cavs struck first in the opening two innings, plating a run in each frame. Tusculum answered with three runs each in the third and fourth innings. Jess Greer got the Pioneers on the board with her two-out, three-run homer to left field as Tusculum led 3-2.

Tusculum recorded five hits in a three-run fourth inning, including a two-run double by Taylor MacDonald, who later scored on a wild pitch. The Lady Cavs mounted a comeback with a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh, before Cadenhead put down the rally with a ground out to end the game.

Game 2: UVa-Wise 10, Tusculum 9

Bobbi Mihelarakis went 3-for-3 as UVa-Wise jumped out to an early 8-2 lead and held off a furious TC charge for a 10-9 win by the Lady Cavs.

Basilicato spotted TC the opening lead on her first home run of the game, a two-run blast to center. In the bottom of the inning, UVa-Wise sent 13 batters to the plate as the Lady Cavs utilized five hits and a TC error for an 8-2 lead.

Tusculum got two of the runs back in the third on Basilicato’s second straight homer, a two-run shot to left field with Anna Johnson aboard as TC trailed 8-4. The score would remain that way until the bottom of the fifth when the Lady Cavs added two runs, including a RBI single by Candace Winslow.

Trailing now 10-4, the Pioneers mounted one last rally as Tusculum batted around in the sixth and scored five runs, including another two-run blast by Basilicato and a two-run double by Johnson. But Johnson was stranded at second with the tying run.

In the seventh, Basilicato drew a lead off walk and moved to second on a bunt to put the equalizer in scoring position. But reliever Megan McCoy got a ground out and a strikeout to post her second save of the season.

Starter Lauren Snead got the win for the Lady Cavs, improving her record to 2-4.

Tusculum returns to South Atlantic Conference play on Wednesday when the Pioneers travel to Lincoln Memorial for a doubleheader.

- TC -