HARROGATE, Tenn. — The Tornado were set to host the Lincoln Memorial University softball team for the first time since 2015, but due to rain and brisk temperatures the in-state, mid-week doubleheader has been moved to Dorothy Neely Field.
 
The Basics
 
Tuesday, March 5 vs. King University — 1/3 p.m.
Live Stats (Game One/Game Two)
Video
 
Quick Hits
 
-The Lady Railsplitters' first road trip of the season to Trevecca Nazarene University didn't result into what they would have liked last Wednesday, but LMU (14-4) made up for it with back-to-back home doubleheader sweeps.
 
-Of those four victories, LMU won three via run-rule as the Lady Railsplitters defeated Rochester College in a 23-run, 28-hit offensive havoc of a day, winning in five innings, 13-1, and then in six innings, 10-2, Friday. On Saturday, LMU took down UVa-Wise 10-2 in a five-inning first game before Justice Smith pitched her squad to a gusty, 4-1, victory in the final game of the weekend.
 
-Smith, the reigning South Atlantic Conference Astroturf Pitcher of the Week, kept her hot start to the season going, as she pitched the complete, seven-inning game to improve to 5-0. In that same start, the junior tossed a new career-high 11 strikeouts, allowing one run on five hits after holding Rochester to one run on two hits over five innings Friday.
 
-With the two wins, Smith's ERA is now down to 1.99 in 38.2 innings pitched, while her other two teammates in the circle, Bailey Griffith (6-2) and Faith Howe (3-2), each bounced back and picked up a win apiece this weekend.
 
-In the batter's box, the Lady Railsplitters were on fire, combining for a double-digit number of hits and runs —39 hits on 33 runs — through the first three games while scoring four runs on four hits in the final game victory versus the Cavs.
 
-Sierra Hucklebee (4) and McKenzie Henry (6) each added to their home run total as Hucklebee hit two and Henry had one to lead all players.
 
-On the season, LMU now sports a team .356 batting average, going 162-for-455 at the plate with 145 runs scored, 73 walks, 43 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs and 126 RBI.
 
Know the Opponent
 
-Once King's season started Feb. 19, it took an opponent seven games to take down the Tornado (7-2). The Bristol, Tenn., squad ripped off a seven-game winning streak through that last week and a half of February and the first game of March — an 11-1 victory over Lynn in Columbus, Ga. — before the host Columbus State got to them in a 1-7 loss.
 
-Bellarmine handed the Tornado their next loss the following day in the same tournament as King fell in a narrow game, 2-3, this past weekend for the team's first away trip.
 
-The Tornado will now bus to Harrogate, Tenn., in a short turnaround for a doubleheader, aiming to snap a two-game losing streak and be one of the teams to defeat the Lady Railsplitters on their home turf, where they hold a 14-2 record this season.
 
-King's .455 on-base-percentage is nearly identical to the Lady Railsplitters' .456 as the Tornado come in with a .367 batting average through nine games. King has scored 59 runs for 87 hits in 237 at-bats, along with 16 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 22 RBI plus 35 walks.
 
-Leading the Tornado by a long stretch is Kay Brokering, who has played in every game and sports a team-high in five different categories: .593 batting average, 16 hits, six doubles, three home run and 16 RBI.
 
-Just behind her is Casey Gilbert with a .538 batting average, 14 hits, two doubles and a team-high three triples. Jenna Burnett also has a .500-plus batting average (.520) along with 13 hits, four doubles and is knotted for a team-second best seven RBI.
 
-In the circle, King has a four-arm rotation, which is led by Rachel Farmer (1-0, 0.58 ERA, 12 IP, 2 SV) and Leslie Odom (3-0, 3.27 ERA, 15 IP). Emma Hughes (2-1) is the next with the most innings (17 IP, 2.47 ERA) and strikeouts (21), while Gilbert (1-1) has a 1.62 ERA through 13 innings pitched.
 
Head-to-Head
 
-The Lady Railsplitters hold a 20-8 all-time record versus the Tornado, dating back to 2005.
 
-After LMU won eight straight, starting in a 2012 doubleheader split, King ended the streak with a sweep of the Lady Railsplitters last March.