Lance goes yard twice, but C-N splits twin bill with Queens

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Caitlyn Lance (East Ridge, Tenn.) thumped two home runs as she celebrated her 21^st birthday, but Carson-Newman (8-2) split a Sunday afternoon home doubleheader with Queens (5-6).  Queens took the first game 9-4 before C-N won game two 7-6.

"Lance is going after good pitches," Carson-Newman head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "But we've got to be able to do that one through nine. We had some drop off today and we don't need that."

Game 1, Queens 9, C-N 4

Queens used big innings in the first game to propel itself to the win. The Royals jumped on the Eagles with a four-run third and a three-run fourth.  All seven runs in the two big innings came with two outs on the board. 

Lance mashed her first of two home runs over the trees in left field to lead off the bottom of the fourth.  However, every C-N punch was countered by the Royals, who scored as many if not more runs than the Eagles in every innings in which C-N scored. 

Carson-Newman collected 10 hits, but they were scattered.  The Eagles were 5-15 with runners in scoring position.

Cassie Lyons (Knoxville, Tenn.) took her second consecutive loss (3-2) in the circle after walking six and striking out two in 4.0 innings pitched. 

Ashley Rollins got with W for the Royals to move to 2-3. 

Game 2, C-N 7, Queens 6

Game two, started very similarly to game one with Queens cranking out a three-run second to take a 3-0 lead on the Eagles.

However, unlike game one, Carson-Newman would fight back and capture a lead it wouldn't relinquish. 

The Eagles scored two runs in the fourth and sixth innings, plus three in the fifth.  Queens would make a last inning push, but C-N would hold on for the 7-6 win.  Errors were the Royals undoing in the fourth when a pair of dropped balls by the leftfielder Emily Poulton extended the inning. 

Sara Kelley (Ooltewah, Tenn.) brought Lance around on a sacrifice fly to left field while Brittany Hefner (Talbott, Tenn.) was able to come around after she got on with a double on one of Poulton's dropped fly balls.

The three-run fifth for the Eagles saw Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.) double, Hefner triple and Lance homer all to left field to start the inning.  The Lance homerun – the second of the day for her – gave C-N the lead it would not relinquish. 

Queens had the tying run aboard and the go-ahead run at the plate when Harrell popped up to Kaitie Sims (Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.) in the circle to end the game.

Sims went the complete game, picking up her fifth win of the season. 

The Eagles stay at home for a Wednesday doubleheader with Lees-McRae.  First pitch is set for 2 p.m.