VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Interview
VIDEO: Alli Webster Interview
VIDEO: Katie Pritchett Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (4-0) starting pitcher Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) came within a strikeout of the program's single-game record and C-N used potent pitching to get past King (0-2) 5-3 and 5-2 in a doubleheader sweep of the Tornado Thursday afternoon at the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex.
Webster, who moves to 3-0 on the season after collecting wins in both games, struck out 13 in game one, a strikeout away from Heather Randolph's school record.
"You gotta give Hayley Burnette a lot of credit for a well-called game," head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "Alli just mixes everything up and just has tremendous command. With her motion, you really can't tell what she's going to throw."
The Eagles used late big innings to get the win in both games. However, the lack of consistent hitting has Kazee-Hollifield concerned. The Eagles left 14 on base in the doubleheader.
"We just had to get back-to-back hits," Kazee-Hollifield said. "That's the name of the game and that's what we did in those innings. We're leaving too many runners out there, we can't get people in scoring position and then not bring them in."
Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) and Talisa Fiame (Pacfica, Calif.) led C-N offensively. Pritchett clobbered a home run and her first career triple while driving in three runs. Fiame, went 3-for-6 at the dish with a double and a trio of runs batted in.
"We have to grow up quickly," Kazee-Hollifield said. "We're playing a lot of young people and there's a lot to be said about healthy competition."
Game one: Carson-Newman 5, King 3
Game one featured a scoreless bout through the first three innings before both offenses broke through in the fourth. King started the scoring when Diamond Callwood singled through the left side, moved to second on a walk and then came home on a Kelsey Nave single to right center.
Pritchett answered the bell immediately in the bottom of the fourth by crushing the first pitch she saw over the wall in straightaway center for her third career home run. C-N couldn't muster anymore offense in the frame, but pulled in front the next inning.
A single and a walk gave the Eagles two runners on base with one out. Cheyenne Boles (Knoxville, Tenn.) grounded into a fielder's choice at short, but as the Tornado tried to turn two, Callwood saw the ball fall out of her glove at second to allow Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) to stay at the bag safely.
With the bases juiced, Pritchett drove a ball to deep centerfield for a sacrifice fly that allowed Shon Jordan (Hermitage, Tenn.) to tag up and score.
The Eagles would further make the Tornado pay for the error with three more unearned runs off back-to-back-to-back base hits from Webster, Fiame and Hayley Burnette (Rossville, Ga.).
King made things interesting in the seventh. Olivia Lawson singled through the left side and moved to second on the throw for a two-RBI base knock that gave King the tying run in scoring position with two out. However, Webster ended the game and the threat by inducing a ground ball back to the circle.
Webster collected the complete game victory while Morgan Lowe was shackled with the loss for King in relief. She surrendered the four unearned runs in three innings after taking over for Lauren Smith.
Game two: Carson-Newman 5, King 2
Much like game one, game two featured a tight matchup until the Eagles were able to blow the barn doors off late.
With King up 1-0 in the second, Carson-Newman grabbed the lead with a two-run inning thanks to a Pritchett RBI triple to right and an Ashlynn Cooper (Friendsville, Tenn.) RBI single to left.
King knotted it up in the fourth when Jennifer Kern bounced a homer, the first of her career, off the top of the wall in left to lead off the inning.
After the Eagles scored their two in the second, King pitcher Hayley Smothers retired 11 straight Eagles before C-N finally got its bats working in the sixth.
Back-to-back singles to start the inning from Siebert and Boles gave C-N runners on the corners with no one out. Fiame then leapt on a 1-2 pitch, one-hopping the wall in left to clear the bases and put C-N in front.
Fiame took third on the throw and then scored on a passed ball to give C-N a 5-2 edge.
Webster struck out Callwood looking with a runner on first to end the game the next half inning.
Webster (3-0) got the win in relief of Danielle Kranz (Fairfield, Calif.). Kranz got the start and pitched five innings of five-hit ball, allowing both of King's runs. Kranz had seven strikeouts against two walks.
Webster hurled the final two innings, fanning three and walking one.
Smothers took the loss to start her season 0-1. She gave up six hits, five earned runs and walked three with no strikeouts.
The Eagles are off for a week before trekking to Hickory for tournament play that will feature King, Columbus State, Belmont Abbey and Augusta beginning Feb. 19.
