HICKORY, N.C. – Carson-Newman (6-2) couldn't get a big hit when it mattered most, but the Eagles cleaned up with big bats in the second game of the day to split with competition as it finished play in Hickory, N.C. at the Lenoir-Rhyne Classic at Bears Field.
The Eagles dropped game one 5-2 in eight innings to Columbus State before downing King 5-3 in the second game of the day.
"We we're too inconsistent today," Carson-Newman head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "We made too many errors and watched too many good pitches go by. Especially in game one, we didn't take advantage of the situation when it presented itself."
Game one: Columbus State 5, Carson-Newman 2 (Eight innings)
Carson-Newman opened the game with a major threat. The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the first with two out thanks to a Shon Jordan (Hermitage, Tenn.) single to left, an Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) walk and a Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) single. However, a ground out to short ended the threat for the Eagles.
Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) would capitalize on a two-out at-bat in the second. Ashlynn Cooper (Friendsville, Tenn.) led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on an Andi Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) sacrifice.
With two out, Toppel hit the launching pad with a moon shot to center field to give Carson-Newman a 2-0 lead.
After Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) retired seven consecutive, Columbus State began to battle back in the sixth. Calli Star walked to lead off the inning, she scored a batter later when McKenzie Fagioli grounded out on a sacrifice bunt to the catcher and Siebert made a three-base throwing error to let her come in.
The run would be earned regardless, as Kailey Boone bombed a ball to center field. Her solo shot tied the game at two. Webster settled back down and induced a groundout and a line out to get out of the inning.
The Eagles would get a leadoff walk from Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) to start off the bottom of the seventh. Andi Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) attempted to sacrifice bunt, but instead, reached on a fielders' choice to put the first out on the board with the runner retired at second.
Toppel collected her second hit of the day with a single to left to move Smith to second and put the game-winning run in scoring position. Jordan struck out swinging for out number two. Carson-Newman had chance to end it on a Siebert single to left. Smith tried to come home, but was gunned down at the plate by the leftfielder to send the contest to extra innings.
Columbus State got two into scoring position with no one out to start the eighth inning. Katie White was placed on second as the international rule runner and moved to third on a Kai Smith fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt. The Eagles attempted to get the lead runner, failed to do so, and when the dust cleared, the Cougars had two in scoring position.
The Cougars brought the go-ahead run across the next batter on a throwing error by Dean at first. CSU added to its lead on a Boone double to left, which plated two making it 5-2 CSU.
Webster struck out the final two batters of the inning to keep the deficit at three for the Eagles.
Carson-Newman would do its part in the bottom of the eighth. With Siebert placed on second as the international rule runner, Cheyenne Boles (Knoxville, Tenn.) walked and Dean singled to left to load the bases with no one out.
Talisa Fiame (Pacifica, Calif.) grounded into a fielder's choice to the pitching circle and Peyton Sorrells came to the plate with the throw to get the Eagles' lead runner Siebert to prevent any runs from scoring. Cooper struck out swinging for out number two. Hayley Burnette flied out to left field to end the game.
It marked the Eagles' fourth straight loss to Columbus State and their first loss in extra innings since dropping an 8-7 decision to Georgia College in eight innings on March 11, 2013.
Webster took the loss for the Eagles to fall to 3-2. She struck out seven and gave up five hits. Of the five runs CSU scored, only two were earned.
Sorrells got the win in relief for the Cougars. She went the final 1.2 innings and gave up just two hits in place of starter Hanna Manley.
Boone led the Cougars offensive attack, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a trio of RBI, a double and a home run. Toppel drove in Carson-Newman's two runs with her dinger. She, Siebert and Dean all had multi-hit performances.
Game two: Carson-Newman 5, King 3
Carson-Newman got the party started against King with a Toppel double to left center, a Jordan walk and then a Boles RBI-double to right center field to put Carson-Newman up 1-0. The Eagles kept it up a batter later when Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) clobbered her second dinger of the season, one of the three-run variety, to center field with one out to extend the lead to 4-0.
King got a run back in the bottom of the frame. Hannah Devotie reached on an error at third, then Diamond Callwood double to right center. Devotie scored on a fielding error by Siebert in the midst of that play.
The Eagles would add a a run to their lead in the fifth. A Siebert walk and Boles double to right center gave the Eagles a pair in scoring position. Pritchett took advantage with a single to left center that brought Siebert in.
The Tornado didn't sit idly by, striking an inning later. After Callwood singled to left center, Jennifer Kern planted a home run over the fence in right center to bring the Tornado within two.
Alli Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) fanned three off the five batters she faced to secure the win for the Eagles and get her second save of the season.
Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) got the win for the Eagles. She hurled the first 5.1 innings, allowed six hits and struck out three.
Lauren Smith took the loss to King to fall to 0-2 on the year.
Katie Pritchett was 2-for-3 with four RBI in the contest for the Eagles.
