LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — The Motlow Bucks staged two big comeback wins and evened their TCCAA conference softball record over the weekend with a four-game sweep of visiting conference opponent Southwest Tennessee.
Motlow (8-12, 4-4) came from five runs down to beat the visiting Saluqis 8-7 in game one Friday, then shut them down in a 5-1 win in game two. On Saturday the Bucks again staged a huge comeback after trailing 8-1 to win 9-8. Motlow finished off the sweep with an 11-9 win in Saturday’s second game.
The Bucks will travel to Columbia Wednesday for a single, non-conference game against Columbia State at 1 p.m. Motlow will spend the coming weekend in Chattanooga, facing Chattanooga State (16-7, 3-5) in a four-game TCCAA series.
Friday Game 1. Motlow 8 Southwest 7
The Bucks stormed back from a 7-2 deficit with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, capped off by a game-winning single from Tullahoma sophomore Demi Garner. Motlow collected 12 hits during the game, including three by Savanna Beard and two by Susanna Cruit. Hannah Foster had two runs batted in and Motlow stole six bases, including four by Beard and two by Jordan Lund.
After relieving starter Hannah Burks in the third inning, Cruit (2-3) got the win in the circle, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing five hits and two runs. Mary Bradley earned the save by getting the final two outs, including a strikeout.
Friday Game 2. Motlow 5 Southwest 1
Bradley sparkled in the circle in leading the Bucks to a win in game two Friday. Bradley pitched a complete game, allowing seven hits and 0 earned runs with five strikeouts in seven innings.
Motlow jumped out front with a run in the first inning and never trailed. Garner and Beard each had two hits, with Beard driving in two runs. Motlow had 10 hits in the game and Lund stole four more bases. Michalee Clay had an RBI triple, and Beard and Anna Grace Sullivan each added a double.
Saturday Game 1. Motlow 9 Southwest 8
The Bucks needed another big comeback Saturday, and they got it after trailing 8-1 entering the bottom of the fifth. Motlow plated seven runs in the inning, tying the game at 8-8. Lund drove in the game-winning run with a walk-off single.
Anna Grace Sullivan had three hits and three runs batted in. Lund had three hits and scored a run, and Allie Anderson, Beard, and Clay each added two hits. Motlow collected 14 hits during the game.
Hannah Burks (3-2) got the win for Motlow after relieving Bradley in the fifth. Burks tossed three innings and allowed only three hits. She kept the Saluqis scoreless while the Bucks staged their comeback.
Saturday Game 2. Motlow 11 Southwest 9
The Bucks jumped out in front 9-0 after three innings before staving off a Saluqis comeback attempt. Motlow collected 18 hits, including four by both Beard and Garner. Beard had three runs batted in and four stolen bases, and Garner drove in two runs.
Cruitt went 3-4 with a run and an RBI, and Allie Anderson was 3-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Burks (4-2) got the win, allowing eight hits in five innings. Lameisha Parker and Cruit also pitched an inning each.
The Bucks return home next weekend, hosting TCCAA rival Cleveland State in a four-game series. Friday’s doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. and Saturday’s at noon. Admission is free. Follow the Bucks at MotlowSports.com and @motlowsports on Twitter. •
{The Lynchburg Times is an independently-owned, community newspaper located in Lynchburg, Tennessee the home of The Jack Daniel Distillery. We focus on public service, non-partisan, rural journalism. We cover the Metro Moore County government, local tourism, Moore County schools, high school sports, Motlow State Community College, as well as whiskey industry news and regional and state stories that affect our readers.}