HARROGATE, Tenn. – The No. 19-ranked Lincoln Memorial University softball program (19-7, 2-2 SAC) split their home-opener in South Atlantic Conference action Thursday afternoon with their in-state rivals, the Tusculum University Pioneers.
 
Game No. 1 of the afternoon saw a pitchers' duel, as Emma Frost and Sappington of the Pioneers both threw six-plus innings, combining for a total of 12 strikeouts. Excellent Lady Railsplitter baserunning and Kelsey Hoskins' game-winning RBI sealed the victory in the bottom-of-the-seventh.
 
After winning their first home SAC contest of the season, graduate transfer Delilah Malczewski immediately ran into trouble out of the gates against her former school, but the resilient Lady Railsplitters clawed and scrapped their way back into the contest, narrowly falling with the game-winning run at the plate in the seventh.
 
Game 1 – No. 19 Lincoln Memorial defeat Tusculum 3-2.
 
A big afternoon for California native Kelsey Hoskins began in the second inning of game No. 1, where the outfielder put a groundball into play towards the Pioneer second baseman, which resulted in an error that scored designated player Katie Tuggle, unearned.
 
Good base running from pinch runner Taylor Stingel had the Lady Railsplitters threatening later on in the fifth, when Katie Tuggle, who scored the previous run, again produced by singling through the left side, scoring Stingel. The Pioneers went on to tie the game in the sixth inning continuing the marathon pitching duel, but Katie Tuggle again came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh looking to break the deadlock once and for all.
 
Smart Tusculum situational pitching put the designated player on the base path with a walk, but head coach Ritchie Richardson and his staff were one step ahead, and put speedy junior Laken Phillips on as a pinch runner. A productive groundball out from freshman Maddie Haskins moved along Phillips, pushing the game-winning run into scoring position. The dangerous Kelsey Hoskins delivered for LMU on the next at-bat, driving in the game-winning RBI with a single through the left side, clinching the first home conference victory of the season, 3-2.
 
Emma Frost collected her eleventh win of the campaign with the strong team effort, as the junior added seven more innings pitched and six additional strikeouts to her 2022 resume. The Tusculum bats did not back down to the dominant righty, as the Pioneers produced seven hits and even came away with an earned-run on Frost's part.
 
Game 2 – No. 19 Lincoln Memorial fall to Tusculum 8-6.
 
Delilah Malczewski was in the circle at the start of game No. 2, but a quick three-run homer from the Pioneers catcher in the first inning put a damper on the reunion for the graduate transfer in the Blue & Grey. Malczewski lasted two-and-a-third Thursday, before the hot Tusculum bats got to Hayley Tamaro next, scoring three runs on the New Jersey native. The Lady Railsplitters found themselves in a 7-1 hole, but a valiant response from the LMU offense showed exactly why they are one of the nation's top-ranked sides.
 
Emma Webb and Kelsie Tuggle both smacked two-run extra base hits down the stretch to keep LMU alive, in addition to Katie Tuggle and Victoria Conley both driving in runs.
 
The Lady Railsplitters entered the bottom-of-the-seventh down just 8-6, when late-game substitutions Katy Pozzuto and Bella Buccellato both singled, bringing up the game-winning run. Freshman Shelby Blake came to the plate boasting yet another efficient offensive performance, as LMU was seriously threatening with the 3-3 Blake on the day representing the winning-run. The Pioneers of Tusculum escaped the encounter with a sharp ground ball hit directly to the first baseman, retiring Blake for her first out and LMU's final of the afternoon.
 
UP NEXT…
The No. 19 Lady Railsplitters return to Dorothy Neely in just two days for a Saturday doubleheader against the Wolves of Newberry. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST.
 
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms —@LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram — for complete coverage of Lady Railsplitter softball through the 2022 season.