Tuesday, November 27, 2007

2008 TUSCULUM SOFTBALL SCHEDULE RELEASED

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The 2008 Tusculum College softball schedule has been released, announced Pioneer head coach Fred Gillum.

Tusculum will play 44 games as well as three tournaments, including three nationally-ranked teams from a year ago: Carson-Newman, Lenoir-Rhyne and Georgia College & State University.

Tusculum will open its season February 8-9 with the Tusculum College/Comfort Inn Classic featuring Bellarmine, Glenville State, Montreat and Seton Hill. Bellarmine finished the season 23-33 with a tough schedule including No. 5 SIU Edwardsville. Glenville State finished 19-33 while Montreat ended the 2007 season with a 16-29 record. Seton Hill had a 10-24 record in 2007.

Tusculum will hit the road Feb. 13 to face NCAA Division I opponent USC Upstate. The Spartans finished 2007 with a 47-15 record facing nationally ranked Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne.

TC will return home Feb. 14 to play Virginia-Wise. The Highland Cavaliers finished the previous season 32-27 and advanced to the NAIA Tournament.

Tusculum will be at Belmont Abbey on Feb. 16 as the Crusaders posted a 13-38 record.

On Feb. 17, the Pioneers will host Georgia College & State University who finished the 2007 season with a 35-21 record.

On Feb. 19, TC hits the road again and faces Erskine College. The Flying Fleet finished the season 23-30-4.

The Pioneers travel to Greenwood, S.C. (Feb. 22-23) for the Lander Bearcat Classic featuring Tusculum, Lander, North Greenville and Brenau University. Brenau finished the season 36-17 in the program's third year.

Tusculum is back home on Feb. 24 hosting West Virginia State University followed by two more away dates against Montreat (Feb. 26) and North Greenville (Mar. 1).

On Mar. 4, the Pioneers host Alderson-Broaddus who finished 25-22 and fourth in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference a year ago.

TC will then compete in the North Georgia/Ryan’s Classic Mar. 7-9 featuring Limestone, North Georgia, Tusculum, Queens and Wingate. Wingate finished last year 37-20.

The Pioneers will open up South Atlantic Conference play Mar. 15 with a trip to Newberry. The Indians finished 34-25-1.

Tusculum steps out of conference play on Mar. 18 when the Pioneers host Seton Hill for a return visit to Greeneville.

TC is back in SAC play Mar. 19 as the Pioneers travel to Wingate followed by a home doubleheader against Mars Hill (Mar. 21). The Lions finished the season 34-22, including a split with TC.

Tusculum is on the road Mar. 24 and 26 as the Pioneers take on Virginia-Wise for the second time of the season and SAC rival Lincoln Memorial. LMU finished with a 37-18-1 record with one of those losses coming at the hands of Tusculum.

The Pioneers will finish out SAC play at home with three straight league dates with Catawba (Mar. 29), Carson-Newman (Apr. 2) and Lenoir-Rhyne (Apr. 5). Catawba posted an impressive 41-19 record in 2007, including two setbacks at the hands of the Pioneers with one of those coming in the Food Lion SAC Tournament. Tusculum also split a pair of games against Carson-Newman who finished 35-15 on the season. Lenoir-Rhyne is the defending SAC Champions after posting a 48-10 worksheet.

The Pioneers will hit the road April for a doubleheader at Limestone followed by two home dates against North Greenville (Apr. 8) and Tennessee Wesleyan (Apr. 10). On Apr. 12, Tusculum will be at Brevard and finish out the regular season Apr. 14 with a home twinbill against Virginia Intermont.

The 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament will be hosted by Newberry College, Apr. 17-20 with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

- TC -