GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University softball team will stay home for the week. The Pioneers will host Emmanuel on Tuesday (Feb. 22) before the annual Pioneer Classic runs its course over the weekend (Feb. 26-27). Lees-McRae, Young Harris, and UVA Wise will join TU at J.C. Red Edmonds Field for the event.
RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum (9-5) went 3-3 during the week. The Pioneers swept North Greenville, dropped three at Francis Marion, and beat Bloomsburg in the Raines Company Softball Classic finale.
Anna Alloway hit a blistering .579 and slugged .947 on the week with 11 hits, 10 runs batted in, three runs scored, two walks, and no strikeouts. Her two home runs, including a grand slam in the finale, boosted her career total to 28, one shy of tying the program record. Kiley Longmire had a career week as well. Batting .467 and slugging .933, the senior notched seven hits (including two homers), six RBI, three runs, two sacrifice flies, one sacrifice bunt, and zero strikeouts.
Emily Sappington pitched the most innings (20.2), but went 1-2 with a 2.37 earned-run average. Ireland Cavanaugh went 2-1 on a 4.28 ERA across 18 innings. Keylon Reynolds pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to round out the staff.
Nationally, Tusculum is ranked across the top-25 in hit by pitch (13th; 12), sacrifice flies (17th; 5), hits (22nd; 123), and sacrifice bunts (25th; 8).
Individually, Sappington is tied for second in DII with seven complete games, 16th with seven starts, 18th in wins (5), and 19th with 50 strikeouts. Longmire's two sacrifice flies are good for 11th. Alloway is 14th with 22 hits and 18th in total bases (38). Hayley Lazo is 15th after being hit by four pitches. Mya Maddox is 15th with 10 steals and 22nd with two triples.
LOOKING AHEAD
Emmanuel (10-4) and Tusculum last squared off in last season's NCAA DII Southeast Regional, where the Pioneers ended the Lions' campaign. Chloe Nadler is leading the offense with a .386 average and a .472 on-base percentage. She has 17 hits (team-high five doubles), seven walks, nine RBI, and nine runs. Dani Fairey has started half of Emmanuel's games in the circle for a team-best 34.1 innings of work. She has gone 3-2 on a 3.26 ERA, relenting 40 hits, 16 earned runs, eight hit batters, and seven walks. The Lions are in the top-25 nationally in steals (11th; 39), hits (20th; 124), and stolen bases per game (22nd; 2.79).
Lees-McRae (4-8) are currently scheduled to play at UVA Wise on Thursday before taking part in the Pioneer Classic. Hannah Foster has a team-high .390 average with 16 hits. She also has six runs, five extra base hits, three walks, and two RBI. In the circle, Megan Powell has thrown nearly half of Lees-McCrae's inning with 36.2. Across her seven appearances, she has a 2-3 record on a 3.82 ERA, 40 hits, 20 earned runs, 12 walks, and 42 strikeouts. The Bobcats are within the top-10 across DII in double plays (4th; 7) and double plays per game (8th; 0.58).
Young Harris (5-5) will be rested coming into the Pioneer Classic, having 10 days off between games. Grace Young has done the most damage offensively for the Mountain Lions. She is averaging .375 at the plate with 12 hits (half of which are doubles), 10 RBI, three runs, and two walks. Jill Dixon has worked the most innings (22.2) on a 2-2 record. With a 2.16 ERA, she has three complete games, 19 hits, seven earned runs, 10 walks, and 17 strikeouts. The Mountain Lions are 15th in hit by pitch (11), and 23rd in doubles per game (2.20).
Links to live stats and video, when available, for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
