Greeneville, Tenn. – The No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (25-4, 2-0) stayed red hot as it opened South Atlantic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Tusculum (15-12, 0-2), 5-0 and 3-1, Sunday afternoon at Red Edmonds Field.  The Bears also ran their winning streak to 15 games.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Tusculum 0; Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Tusculum 1
Records: No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne (25-4, 2-0 SAC), Tusculum (15-12, 0-2 SAC)
Location: Red Edmonds Field | Greeneville, Tenn.
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STATS OF THE GAME (Game 1):
•    The Bears took control with a four-run second inning highlighted by a solo home run from senior second baseman Madison Poe (Siler City, N.C.).  The advantage proved insurmountable for the Pioneers and set the tone the rest of the way.
•    Freshman third baseman Talon LaClair (Statesville, N.C.) and freshman first baseman Kylee Leonhardt (Lincolnton, N.C.) led the way with two hits and two RBI each as six players tallied at least one hit for the Bears.
•    Lenoir-Rhyne junior Brandi Parks (Roaring River, N.C.) improved to 11-3 overall with her third shutout of the year.  Parks scattered four hits in addition to seven strikeouts while Tusculum's Taylor Plemons (Knoxville, Tenn.) fell to 5-5 after taking the loss.

STATS OF THE GAME (Game 2):
•    Lenoir-Rhyne junior outfielder Erin Boone (Creedmoor, N.C.) opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning before senior catcher Mackenzie Cates (Efland, N.C.) hit her team-leading fifth home run later in the contest.
•    Lenoir-Rhyne continued its dominant pitching as junior Emily Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) (13-1) earned her 13th straight win.  Kenley allowed two hits and one unearned run while notching seven strikeouts in the complete game victory.
•    The Bears managed nine hits including two hits and a run batted in from freshman outfielder Savannah Moorefield (Claudville, Va.).
•    Tusculum's Morgan Mahaffey (Belmont, N.C.) drove in the home team's only run while Allison Pate (Wilson, N.C.) fell to 7-6 after taking the loss.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
•    The Bears are 11-1 on the road this year and have won 22 of their last 23 games.
•    Lenoir-Rhyne has thrown seven shutouts this year and have held its opponent to one or less runs in 17 contests as well this spring.

UP NEXT:
Lenoir-Rhyne continues its road swing with a conference doubleheader against rival Catawba on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m., in Salisbury, N.C.  Tusculum, meanwhile, will host league-foe Mars Hill Wednesday beginning at 3:00 p.m.