HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lincoln Memorial University softball program (35-18, 15-9 SAC) won their first South Atlantic Conference Championship Tournament in program-history Saturday afternoon, knocking off the top-seeded Anderson in the semifinal, and in-state rival Carson-Newman in the championship.
 
For the second-consecutive year, the SAC tournament title was contested in East Tennessee between two East Tennessee programs, as four-seeded host LMU came away victorious over six-seed Carson-Newman in the finale Saturday.
 
The Lincoln Memorial softball program achieved a 13-game winning streak last month, immediately following it up with an 11-game skid. Coming into the SAC tournament, LMU boasted a 21-5 home record, as the Lady Railsplitters continued the momentum, winning three-straight contests to seal their first SAC conference tournament championship.
 
Just five seasons in, the dominant start to the Ritchie Richardson era continued this season, as the head coach has now achieved a league tournament title, two SAC regular season championships, one NCAA DII Southeast Regional championship and 151 victories and counting.
 
Lincoln Memorial have now officially punched their ticket to a third-consecutive southeast regional, with the automatic conference tournament championship bid.
 
Semifinal – 4-Seed Lincoln Memorial Defeat No. 1-Seed Anderson 4-3.    
 
After defeating Queens in the quarterfinal Friday, LMU was faced with a rematch in the semifinals with regular season champion, No. 14 Anderson. Previously falling in a road series just two weeks ago, LMU had their shot to avenge the Lady Trojans, taking advantage of that opportunity in Dorothy Neely.
 
Emma Frost and Maxwell faced off in the circle Saturday morning as two of the best pitchers in DII, with both stars holding off any runs until the third frame.
 
Grace Cochran finally broke the deadlock in the third inning, singling to center to score Kelsey Hoskins. Two innings later, a Sierra Hucklebee single to right put LMU two-to-the-good.
 
Anderson responded fifth, tying the game up with a three-run inning. Lincoln Memorial put the pressure on, loading the bases in the seventh. Third baseman Kelsie Tuggle put a grounder in play, reaching on a fielder's choice scoring Madison Henry. The ensuing at-bat, LMU scored the winning run off a bases-load walk drawn by DP, Katie Tuggle.
 
Emma Frost took yet another complete-game victory, striking out seven for her 20th victory on the season.
 
Championship – 4-Seed Lincoln Memorial Defeat No. 6-Seed Carson-Newman 9-7.    
 
Lincoln Memorial advanced to Saturday's championship match against Carson-Newman, following the Eagles run to the title game after upset victories over Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
Two high-scoring offenses did not disappoint, immediately scoring in the first inning. After the Eagles took the lead, Emma Webb and Kelsie Tuggle both delivered with RBI in the bottom-half of the first.
 
C-N scored the game's next five runs through the top-half of the fifth, sending LMU to the bottom of the inning trailing 6-2. As LMU have done so many times throughout the 2022 season in Dorothy Neely, the Lady Railsplitters responded, scoring four via Sierra Hucklebee, Emma Webb and McKenzie Henry RBI to tie the game at six.
 
A sixth inning finale was on display, with the Eagles taking a 7-6 lead in the top-half of the inning. Needing an answer, the Blue & Grey answered one final time in Dorothy Neely this season, with Shelby Blake and Madison Henry reaching base. A perfectly-placed Grace Cochran bunt that rolled past the pitcher continued the inning, with heads-up base-running from Shelby Blake scored the tying-run. Hucklebee then came to the plate for the decisive moment of the weekend, doubling to right-center, scoring the game and tournament-clinching runs in Cochran and Henry.
 
Emma Frost, in relief for Haley Tamaro, closed out the seventh, earning her 21st victory of the season sealing the program's first SAC tournament crown.
 
UP NEXT…
The 2022 South Atlantic Conference Tournament Champion Lady Railsplitters will await their selection and opponent for the NCAA DII Southeast Regional Championship.
 
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.