VIDEO: Postgame press conference
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Carson-Newman (37-15) allowed a season-high 14 hits and a season-high 12 runs as Armstrong Atlantic (32-15) advanced to the Southeast Region title game with a bevy of big hits with a 12-6 victory Saturday night at the Peeler Complex.
The Pirates will play Georgia College in the Region II title game Sunday at 2. The Eagles 12th NCAA tournament run comes to and end after three games.
"Armstrong is a great hitting ballclub," Carson-Newman head softball coach Kazee-Hollifield said. "Any time you score six runs, you think you have a great chance to win a ballgame. They're aggressive hitters. We gave it our best shot and just fell a little short.
"This is a good building point. It was good to get back to regionals and get a victory. Hopefully we'll get back next year and see what we can do."
Alexis Mercer powered the Pirate attack. The Pirate's shortstop came a single shy of the cycle with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with four runs scored and a trio of RBI.
Haley Taylor (Strawberry Plains, Tenn.) closed her Carson-Newman career with her sixth three-hit game in her career. She also drove in a run. Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished off her junior year with a two-hit, two-RBI performance.
The squads were even through two innings 4-4 apiece. However, the Pirate outscored the Eagles 8-2 the rest of the way to waltz into the title game 12-6.
A throwing error in the first scored the Pirates' first run before Siebert countered with a two-run dinger to right center to pull the Eagles in front in the bottom of the first 2-1. The Pirates regained the lead in the top of second. Peyton Roth singled in a run before Mercer powered a ball over the protective netting beyond the fence in left and one-hopped Georgia College's Health and Wellness Center across the street.
The Eagles were able to pull even when Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) scored on a three-base throwing error by the Pirates third baseman. Hayley Burnette (Rossville, Ga.) then scored on a Taylor floating single down the right field line.
Carson-Newman's bats went quiet for the next two innings as Armstrong State built a five-run lead. A two-run single from Ashley Sterrit capped a four-run fourth for the Pirates.
The Eagles got two runs back in the fifth with RBI singles up the middle and through the right side from Brooke Ramsey (San Mateo, Calif.) and Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.), respectively. However, that would be the last of the offense the Eagles could muster.
The Pirates put the game out of reach with a three-run seventh on a Jane Trzaska sacrifice fly, Roth RBI single and Mercer RBI triple.
Danielle Kranz (Fairfield, Calif.) took the loss in relief for C-N to fall to 14-7 on the year. Tori Bates moves to 3-1 with the win for Armstrong. Ollivia McLemore collected her first save of the year in relief for the Pirates.
For the latest news and notes on Carson-Newman softball in the offseason, check cneagles.com regular and follow the Eagles on Twitter at @cnathletics.
