Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Interview
Kelli Hensley (Knoxville, Tenn.) accounted for six of those hits. The sophomore extended a hitting streak to 17 consecutive games, the longest of any Eagle on the roster.
"I think it always come back to pitch selection," C-N head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "I thought we attacked the ball well today and overall on the day I was pretty pleased. I was taking notes during the game as always, and there will be some things that we have to work on tomorrow."
Hensley, two weeks removed from earning SAC player of the week honors, came a homer shy of the cycle in game one.
Jessica Morgan (Ooltewah, Tenn.) went four-for-six at the plate in the doubleheader. Carson-Newman hit five doubles in a game as a team for the first time since drilling a quintet of two baggers against King in February last season.
"I'm having a lot of fun coaching this team," Kazee-Hollifield said. "I'll be honest, we looked a little flat coming in to my pregame speech. They looked like they were asleep. I felt like I would have to get these kids jump started today. I don't like to harp on last year, but we were sitting pretty good at the beginning and then we tapered off."
C-N improves to 15-0 all-time against Kentucky Wesleyan.
Game one: Carson-Newman 11, Kentucky Wesleyan 5
Carson-Newman cruised along in game one with a 2-0 lead before erupting for a combined nine runs between the fourth and six innings.
The Eagles started the game with a run in both the first and second innings thanks to RBI doubles from reigning SAC player of the week Sara Kelley (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and Sara Howard (Georgetown, Ky.).
The Panthers would even the game in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs with a Josalyn Ress RBI single through the heart of the infield and a sacrifice fly to center from Kyli Smithson.
That only served to poke the Eagles with a stick. Carson-Newman would hang five runs on the Panthers in the bottom half of the frame to take a 7-2 advantage.
Howard connected on her second double of the game to drive in a run in Morgan from first. Audrey Woodby (Knoxville, Tenn.) then cleared the bases with the first home run of her career. She cleared the wall in center to score runs two and three of the innings.
Hensley tripled to center and came home when Elayna Siebert reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Back-to-back singles from Kelley and Brittany Hefner (Talbott, Tenn.) added the final run of the frame.
The Panthers would crack back for three in the fifth before the Eagles put the game out of reach with a four-run sixth.
Hensley started out the frame by lacing a double to center. She came around to score on a Cassie Lyons (Knoxville, Tenn.) bunt single. With the bases loaded, Hefner grounded out to short to drive in Lyons. Caitlyn Lance (East Ridge, Tenn.) brought Kelley and Siebert in with a two-RBI double to left.
Howard picked up the win to move to 6-1 on the year. She struck out a career high seven batters against five walks.
Josalyn Ress took the loss to fall to 2-2. The Eagles rung her up for 11 hits; reliever Casey Smith gave up five hits and four runs.
Game two: Carson-Newman 10, Kentucky Wesleyan 2 (five innings)
The Eagles would get all the runs they would need in the second inning of game two and then some to take the doubleheader sweep from the Panthers.
C-N rung up an eight-spot on KWC in the second inning to win running away. The Eagles batted around in the frame and every Eagle had a single in the inning.
After Hefner struck out to begin the inning, every Eagle singled (including Hefner as she came back around in the order) before Lance grounded into a fielder's choice to end the string of singles at nine.
Only Hensley drove in multiple runs in the string of nine straight singles for the Eagles.
Carson-Newman added a run in the fourth on a bizarre play. With Brittany Bass (Auburn, Ga.) on third, Caitlyn Lance hit a weak grounder up to first with two out. The first baseman Ashley Crooke fielded cleanly and made her way up the first base path to tag out lance instead of applying a force at the bag.
Lance pulled off a stop-and-go move to avoid Crooke's tag about 45 feet along with base path. With Lance past her, Crooke tried a soft toss to second baseman Amber Pendergraft, who was covering the bag; however, the throw glanced of Pendergraft's glove and ricocheted toward the dugout to allow Lance to reach safely and for the run to score.
The Panthers would score two in the fifth off a Kelsey Miller double to left and a Mackenzie Weedman single down the left field line.
Carson-Newman won the game in the fifth by virtue of the run rule in anti-climatic walkoff fashion. With the bases juiced and one out, Bass dropped a ground ball to third. Ashlea Holt tried to throw home, but her toss was high and Haley Talor (Jefferson City, Tenn.) ambled home to score and end the game.
Kalyn Davis (Danville, Ky.) notched the win to improve to 6-0. She struck out a career high five batters. Jessica Carmon was handed the loss to fall to 1-1 after she gave up the eight-run second.
The Eagles hit the road for four games this weekend at the Mid-South Classic.
