GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Lees-McRae softball team dropped an eight-inning affair in game one, 2-1, before falling 6-2 in game two to Tusculum at Red Edmonds Field Thursday afternoon in Greeneville, Tenn.
Tusculum 2, Lees-McRae 1 (8 Innings)
The Pioneers (17-18) used a two-double effort from Robin Stoner and a complete game five-hitter from Rachel Medley (7-9) to eek out the extra inning win.
The Bobcats (5-30) played in their first extra inning game of the year.
Sophomore Charlie Dutton (Monroe, Ga.) (2-13) was the tough luck loser despite allowing only two hits. The sophomore has been on a roll lately while allowing nine hits and four runs in her last 19.1 innings of work.
Stoner led the second off with a double and would score on a wild pitch with Brooke Rhodes at the dish.
LMC's Alix Green (Little Mountain, S.C.) and Amanda Decker (Apex, N.C.) hit consecutive singles to lead off the top of the sixth.
Green would motor around to tie it at one after Sarah Tucker (Monroe, N.C.) reached on a throwing error.
Stoner drove in the game-winning run in the top of the eighth with a sacrifice fly, allowing Kaytlin Stroinski to score.
Stroinski was placed on second as part of the international tiebreaker to begin the inning.
Dutton struck out eight in 7.1 innings of work.
Tusculum 6, Lees-McRae 2
The Pioneers (18-18) reached the .500 plateau thanks to a four-RBI effort from Stoner.
The Bobcats (5-13) only mustered three hits in the contest, including two from sophomore Sarah Stallings (Greensboro, N.C.).
Stallings used her speed to beat out a single to the pitcher before stealing second and third. The sophomore scored on a throwing error after stealing third.
Decker plated Valerie Hickey (Umatilla, Fla.) with a run-scoring single up the middle, giving LMC an early 2-0 lead in the first.
TC's first five batters reached in the bottom of the fifth while the Pioneers grabbed a 4-2 lead.
Stroinski drove in a run the hard way by wearing a pitch with the bases loaded before Stoner delivered the big blow with a three-run bases-clearing double to left center.
The duo of Stroinski and Stoner struck again an inning later with consecutive run-scoring doubles.
Sophomore Taylor Billings (Sophia, N.C.) took the loss after allowing four earned runs in five innings of work.
LMC begins a 10-game homestand Saturday, April 11 with a doubleheader against Conference Carolinas newcomer Southern Wesleyan at 1 p.m. in Banner Elk, N.C.
- LMC -
