Hickory, N.C.- In the opening game today, the Lenoir-Rhyne's Softball Team fell in a 1-0 10-inning thriller. Tusculum's Emily Sappington threw a no-hitter for the Pioneers as they came away with the win. In the nightcap,
Morgan Beeler threw a complete game shutout and
Hannah Jennings clubbed a two-run home run to help the Bears earn the spilt with a 3-0 win.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game 1 Final: Tusculum 1, Lenoir-Rhyne 0 (10 innings)
Game 2 Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3,Tusculum 0
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (16-8, 12-6 SAC), Tusculum (11-11, 5-5 SAC)
Location: Bears Field I Hickory, N.C.
STATS OF GAME ONE:
- Pitchers were the story in game one as Tusculum's Emily Sappington threw her second career no-hitter in the 10-inning game. Sappington did not walk a hitter and stuck out nine Bears. Lora Beth Wood reached first after getting hit by a pitch in the fifth and was the Bears' only base runner.
- Lauren Rakes (6-4) started in the circle and threw all ten innings for the Bears. Rakes only allowed one unearned run in the 10th. Rakes stuck out five on the afternoon.
- LR had a chance to win it in the ninth inning without a hit but the Pioneers threw out Leanna Sherrill at home with a perfect relay from left to end the inning.
- The Pioneers scored in the 10th inning with a SAC bunt from Anna Alloway then a single from Alexis Grampp to score Mya Maddux for the only run in the game.
STATS OF GAME TWO:
- Sappington opened game two with two hitless innings before Kendall Osborne laced a single up the middle to open the third for the first hit of the day.
- LR finally broke through in the fourth with a two-out triple by Savanah Moorefield to drive in Osborne to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
- Hannah Jennings gave the Bears their insurance runs with her first career homerun, a two-run shot to left-center.
- Morgan Beeler (6-0) went the distance for her first shutout of the season. Beeler scattered six hits in the complete game while tying a career-high with eight strikeouts.
- Moorefield and Jennings had two hits apiece on the afternoon.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- The last time these teams played an extra-inning game was in the SAC Tournament on April 27, 2017. Sarah Kenley hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth for the Bears to advance.
- Moorefield entered the game two runs shy of 150 career runs.
- Rakes ten inning complete game was her longest complete game as a Bear.
- Jennings has at least two hits in five of her last eight games. Jennings is hitting .478 during that span.
- LR moves to 90-20 since 2015 when they hit at least one home run in the game.
UP NEXT: LR will finish their eight-game homestand with a double-header against Belmont Abbey Tuesday at 3:00 PM.