MARS HILL, N.C. – Carson-Newman (21-7, 6-2) shortstop Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) matched the Eagles' single game record for doubles with three as C-N split a doubleheader with Mars Hill (5-14, 1-5 SAC) at Ponder Field.
The Eagles lost game one 6-5 after committing four errors before coming back for a 5-1 win in the night cap behind error-free play.
"You go back to game one, we're leaving way to many people on base against a good people on base," head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollfield said. "We knew how many unearned runs we had given up, that was enough to bite us. Lindsay was resilient in game two to get us the win."
Siebert proved to be the Eagles' offensive highlight. In addition to her school-record three-double day in game one, Siebert went 5-for-6 at the dish and also reached successfully on a pair of walks.
"Boy do we need her bat," Kazee-Hollifield said. "She's getting her hands out and she's not fighting out of a two-strike hole. She's jumping on a first good pitch, which is what the entire team needs to do."
Game one: Mars Hill 6, Carson-Newman 5
Carson-Newman and Mars Hill swapped big innings to begin the game. The Lions got the scoring started in the bottom of the first. Aleshia Peek started the frame with a single to right. She advanced to second on a sacrifice, took third on a wild pitch and came home on a throwing error by C-N catcher Hayley Burnette (Rossville, Ga.). A Jamie Booze single to right scored an unearned run as Taylor Caviness came in to score.
The Eagles countered in the top of the third with a big two-out rally. Kaitlin Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) hit a one-out double to right field before moving to third on a wild pitch. Sarah Howard (Georgetown, Ky.) struck out to set the stage for the Eagles rally.
Burnette started it with a looper to center to score Pritchett. Jessica Morgan (Ooltewah, Tenn.) then walked and Bre Lockett (Fontana, Calif.) singled to juice the bases.
Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) took advantage with a bases-clearing double to left center and just like that, the Eagles were in front 4-2.
However, Carson-Newman's lead was short-lived.
In the bottom of the frame, Peek scored on a throwing error at second before Erin Vickery drilled a three-run bomb to right center to give the Lions a 6-4 advantage. All four runs in the inning for MHU were unearned.
After the team's swapped scoreless third innings, Carson-Newman got back on the board in the fourth when Lockett clobbered her seventh homer of the season, this one a two-out solo shot to left to bring the Eagles within a run, 6-5.
Danielle Kranz (Fairfield, Calif.) shut the door on the Lions in the bottom of the sixth with three straight strikeouts.
Down a run, the Eagles comeback bid in the top of the seventh began with Talisa Fiame (Pacifica, Calif.) getting plunked by a pitch. A two-out Burnette single gave her her first career three-hit day and moved the tying run into scoring position. However, Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) fouled out to the catcher to end the contest.
Siebert matched a Carson-Newman school record with three doubles in the defeat. She ties Kim Thorne, who hit three doubles against Cumberland in 2006.
Sarah Howard (Georgetown, Ky.) took the loss in the circle for C-N after surrendering the six runs in the game's first 1.2 innings. She falls to 3-2 on the season. Carson-Newman's cause wasn't helped by its defense. The Eagles made four errors for a fourth game this season. C-N is 0-4 in those contests.
Five of the Lions six runs were unearned. Shelby Culler picked up the win for the Lions. She struck out four in five innings of work.
Game two: Carson-Newman 5, Mars Hill 1
Carson-Newman fell behind again in game two when Mars Hill's Aleshia Peek drove a ball over the wall in left center to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The Eagles would turn a double play to get out of the frame without any further damage done.
The Eagles tried to tie the game in the top of the fourth. With Holly Black (Rutledge, Tenn.) on second after a Burnette sacrifice bunt, Dean singled to center field. Black tried to go two bases to score, but was gunned down at the plate by Peek to keep the Eagles from tying the game. Erin Stanley (Coeburn, Va.) doubled to right center – her first career extra-base hit – to give the Eagles two in scoring position, but Carson-Newman couldn't keep the two-out rally rolling.
C-N was able to grab the lead in the fifth. Lockett lifted her eighth homer of the season over the wall in center to tie the game before Brooke Ramsey (San Mateo, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice that saw Taylor score from third.
The Eagles then got the merry-go-round rolling with four consecutive singles to get the bases loaded. Dean had one for two runs batted in to center and Fiame drove in one more with a single to left. When the dust had cleared, the Eagles had a 5-1 lead.
It would be a lead the Eagles would preserve with defense to close. Dean allowed just three base runners over the game's final three innings to get the Eagles to the doubleheader split.
Dean got the win in the circle to improve to 10-2 on the year. She struck out four. Taylor Hussey took the loss for Mars Hill.
Carson-Newman returns home Wednesday afternoon to play two at 2 with USC Aiken. Coverage will be available on the Eagle Sports Network with a free high definition stream at cneagles.com/live
