Hickory, N.C. - The No. 5 Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (28-5, 2-0) opened South Atlantic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Tusculum (14-14, 0-2), 5-0 and 11-9, Saturday afternoon at Bears Field.  In addition, the Bears snapped a three-game losing streak.

Game One – Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Tusculum 0
Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore Brandi Parks (Roaring River, N.C.) threw her seventh shutout of the year while both senior catcher Sarah Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) and junior shortstop Madison Carter (Bessemer City, N.C.) finished with two hits and two runs batted in to lead the Bears offensively.

Parks scattered four hits and struck out six batters while Taylor Plemons (Knoxville, Tenn.) fell to 7-7 after taking the loss.

Game Two – Lenoir-Rhyne 11, Tusculum 9
Lenoir-Rhyne jumped out to an 11-3 advantage thanks to a nine-run fourth inning and were able to hold off a late Tusculum surge to complete the sweep.

Senior first baseman Sydney Landreth (Disputanta, Va.) highlighted the frame with a three-run home run – her second of the year – while sophomore outfielder Erin Boone (Creedmoor, N.C.) added three RBI for the Bears.

Tusculum scored two runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but the deficit was too great to overcome.  The Pioneers totaled 18 hits and were led by Sammie West (Maiden, N.C.) with five hits while Taylor Johnson (Spring Hill, Tenn.) added four hits and three runs batted in.

Parks (17-1) came on in relief to preserve the win.  Kenley aided the Bears' effort with four hits and two more runs batted in.  Tusculum's Eliza Davis (Lexington, N.C.) fell to 2-2 after suffering the loss.

Lenoir-Rhyne remains at home to host Wingate in a league doubleheader Tuesday beginning at 3:00 p.m., while Tusculum hosts Brevard Wednesday in a doubleheader Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.