Jackson, Tenn. – The Maryville University softball team opened up the 2017 season with a 3-2 loss over Union in eight innings and then fell to Tusculum College 3-1 in the Union Softball Classic in Jackson, Tenn. Friday afternoon.
After both teams were held in check over the first three innings, Sheridan Sprague took a walk and scored on a
Bri Livingston double to center field to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. Union battle back in their half of the fourth to put runners on first and second, but
Nikki Taylor was able to force a Bulldog double play to maintain the one run advantage.
The Bulldogs came to life in the seventh as they tied the game in they strung together three straight hits to tie the score at 1-1 with runner at second and third with one out, but the Saints worked out of the jam as Taylor snagged a pop-up and
Courtney Ferguson fielded a grounder to stop the Union uprising.
The Saints struck in the top of the eighth as
Alyssa Callans stole third and scored on a Sprague single to give Maryville a 2-1 advantage. The Bulldogs came away with the win after a throwing error scored the tying run and a single plated the game-winner.
Taylor was credited with her first loss after giving up eight hits in the complete game. She added three strike-outs and issued no free passes on the afternoon.
In game two, Tusculum grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-run homer and then added an insurance run in the fourth as the Saints committed a pair of errors to give the Pioneers a 3-0 lead.
Maryville did not go quietly as
Samantha Hausl drew a walk and moved to third on an
Emily Bruin single to left to put runners on first and third. Hausl scored on a Ferguson infield single with two outs to cut the Tusculum lead to 3-1 but the Saints could get no closer.
Sprague suffered the loss giving up five hits with a pair of earned runs while striking out a pair of Pioneer batters. Ferguson finished the second game of the day going 1-of-2 with a run batted in and a walk to pace the Maryville offense.
Maryville returns to action in the Union Softball Classic as the Saints take on Tusculum at 11 a.m. and then the host Bulldogs at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, in Jackson, Tenn.
