Monday, April 9, 2007

 

TUSCULUM, LMU SPLIT SOFTBALL PAIR

 

                GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum College's Brie Griffin went 5-for-9, including three doubles as the Pioneers split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting Lincoln Memorial University Monday at Red Edmonds Field.

                The Pioneers (26-19) erupted for 16 hits to win the first game 10-3.  In the night-cap, LMU's Brittney Walker hit a grand slam and then slammed the door out of the bullpen with her third save as the Railsplitters won game two 7-3.

 

Game 1: Tusculum 10, Lincoln Memorial 3

                Griffin was perfect as she went 4-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI as Tusculum captured the opener 10-3.

                Makenzie Loy also tallied four hits for the Pioneers, while Judith Saavedra added a 3-for-4 performance.

                LMU was paced by the three-hit effort by Alisa Burk, including her two-run triple in the first inning as the Railsplitters jumped out to a 3-0 lead.  TC answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame, including a RBI double by Griffin.  TC took the lead in the second as starting pitcher Holli Cadenhead led off with a double and later scored on Saavedra's two-out single.

                Tusculum added two runs in the third and three more in the fourth.  In that three-run fourth, TC got doubles from Griffin, Loy and Jenica Fernandez.

                Cadenhead (8-6) recorded the complete game victory as she scattered six hits, allowed three runs, two earned, walked three and struck out five.  Walker, who started game one for LMU suffered the loss to fall to 13-6.

               

Game 2: Lincoln Memorial 7, Tusculum 3

                Walker bounced back for Lincoln Memorial as she shined at the plate and in the pitching circle as the Railsplitters won the night-cap 7-3.

                LMU sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning, including Walker who connected on her 12th home run of the season, a bases loaded shot to right field as LMU led 5-0.  LMU added another run on Sara Henn's RBI double to move the Splitters up 6-0.

                TC got a run back in the bottom of the inning with a double-steal with Ashley Basilicato scoring from third.  Trailing 7-1, TC plated two runs in the fifth inning as the Pioneers got three hits and capitalized on a key error to trail 7-3.

                Walker came aboard and shut the Pioneers down allowing only one base runner to reach for the remainder of the game.  She tossed 2.2 innings, walked one and struck out four to post the save.  Jessica Locker recorded the win to improve her record to 2-1.

                Henn went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Cassey Schutte and Amanda Wampler finished with two hits each.

                Tusculum recorded 10 hits in the game, including a pair of doubles by Chrissy Wilkison.  Basilicato and Cadenhead also finished with two hits each for the Pioneers.

                TC will host Wingate University for a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 2 p.m., weather permitting.  LMU will be at the University of the Cumberlands on Tuesday.

 

- TC -