VIDEO: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Interview
SALISBURY, N.C. – Catawba (22-9, 6-0 South Atlantic Conference) got a pair of complete game dandies from starting pitcher Carly Tysinger who helped push the Indians to a doubleheader sweep of Carson-Newman (18-12, 4-2 SAC) Friday afternoon at Whitley Field.
The Indians took game one in extra innings 2-1 before tallying a 7-1 win in game two. The two squads were tied for first in the SAC going into the doubleheader.
Tysinger struck out a combined 22 batters between the two complete game wins. She hurled 217 pitches across the doubleheader.
"She gave everything she had on the mound," head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "I don't know if we'll have the opportunity to face her again, but her rise ball is fantastic. You have to stay off of that, then we didn't throw our hands out on any strikes. It was a good day for her."
Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) hit her SAC-leading 10th home run for Carson-Newman.
Game one: Catawba 2, Carson-Newman 1 (eight innings)
Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) worked through a pair of jams in the first three innings. After giving up a pair of base hits in both the first and third, Webster got a pair of strikeouts to get out of both innings, leaving runners on third and second both times.
Carson-Newman threatened in the fourth with a pair of walks for Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) sandwiched around a hit batsman in Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.).
However, Carson-Newman couldn't score the game's first run after Talisa Fiame (Pacifica, Calif.) grounded into a fielder's choice with the lead runner Siebert out at the plate. Then, Hayley Burnette (Rossville, Ga.) struck out to end the inning.
The game headed to extra innings, and Carson-Newman was able to grab the lead in the top of the eighth.
The international rule runner Donna Ryan (Orlando, Fla.) moved to third on a two-out wild pitch and came in to score on a ball hit to the circle by Elayna Siebert. Catawba pitcher Carly Tysinger's throw to first was low and bobbled, allowing Siebert to reach on the error and Ryan to score.
Carson-Newman's lead would be short-lived. Morgan Brann singled to third to give the Indians runners on the corners to start the bottom of the eighth. A Gina Gerone sacrifice fly to right tied the game.
With two out, Katherine Shumaker hit a pinch hit base hit into left field. That loaded the bases for Holli Chandler. The right fielder hit a slow rolling ground ball to second. Siebert grabbed the ball behind the bag, with her only play at the bag, Siebert went to tag out Wagoner, who dipped underneath to tag to ensure that all hands were safe. The Indians got the win on the base hit.
Webster took the loss for the Eagles to fall to 10-6. She gave up nine hits against 10 strikeouts. Catawba only had one extra base hit off her.
Tysinger got the win for the Indians, improving to 14-4 on the year. She fanned 10 and only allowed two hits.
Game two: Catawba 7, Carson-Newman 1
Catawba picked up where it left off in game two. The Indians scored two in the first on the Eagle thanks to a Delane Smith sacrifice fly to center field scoring Turner, followed by a two-out solo home run to right center for Morgan Brann.
Another Smith SAC fly to right scored a run in the third for the Indians while a Gerone double to right center made it 4-0 Indians.
Carson-Newman got a run back in the fifth when Dean connected on a solo home run to left field, her SAC-leading 10th of the season.
Catawba would get two more the next time they batted. The Indians stole second to and pulled off a triple steal with the bases loaded to score Brann. Then Shumaker singled to third for an RBI to make it 6-1 Indians.
Catawba added another run in the sixth on a throwing error at third.
Tysinger again got the win for the Indians, moving to 15-4 on the year. She fired 12 strikeouts in game two.
Danielle Kranz (Fairfield, Calif.) took the loss to drop to 3-5. She gave up eight hits, seven runs, six earned while walking six and striking out one.
The Eagles break for Easter and will take on Brevard Tuesday in North Carolina at 1.
