Tuesday, April 3, 2007

PIONEERS SPLIT SOFTBALL PAIR AT MARS HILL

MARS HILL, N.C. --- Makenzie Loy clubbed a three-run homer in the opener as the Tusculum College softball team split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader at Mars Hill College Tuesday afternoon at Ponder Park. The Pioneers (24-15, 3-5 SAC) won game one 7-2, while Lady Lions (29-17, 3-5 SAC) captured the night-cap 4-3 in eight innings.

Loy went 2-for-3 in the opener with four RBI, including her three-run blast as Tusculum erupted for four runs in the fourth inning. Judith Saavedra went 2-for-4 in the win, while Brie Griffin added two hits and scored run for the Pioneers.

Holli Cadenhead recored her seventh win of the season as she tossed five innings and struck out two. Cadenhead allowed a run and scattered four hits in the starting effort.

In the second game, Tusculum rallied for a 3-1 deficit to tie the contest with two runs in the sixth inning, but MHC plated a run in the eighth inning on an error as the Lady Lions prevailed 4-3.

Trailing 1-0, TC's Chrissy Wilkison drove in the Pioneers' first run of the fray with a RBI double to score Saavedra. After Mars Hill added two runs in the fourth inning to regain the lead, TC added two runs in the sixth, including Ashley Basilicato's solo home run off the foul pole in left field. TC tied the game later in the frame on Jenica Fernandez' two-out single to score Cadenhead.

Tusculum returns to action on Thursday for another tough South Atlantic Conference match-up with Newberry College. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m. at Red Edmonds Field.

- TC -