DUE WEST, S.C. – Carson-Newman (21-13) rallied to win in the nightcap and salvage a split in a doubleheader with Erskine (21-11) Wednesday afternoon at Erskine Field.
Carson-Newman fell in game one 3-0 thanks to a no-hitter hurled by Flying Fleet pitcher Danica Newton. However, the Eagles picked themselves off the dirt and registered three unanswered runs to tally a 4-2 decision in the back half of the twin bill.
"Again we pitched extremely well," Carson-Newman head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "What a tremendous job their pitcher (Danica Newton) did. Granted we didn't help ourselves. In order for us to compete in our remaining games, we have to be disciplined and stroke the ball."
This is the first no-hitter thrown against Carson-Newman since at least the year 2000 – as far back as game-by-game records date for the program. Kazee-Hollifield said she does not remember being no-hit in her 31 years at Carson-Newman, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened in the past.
In her first start of her sophomore campaign, Erin Stanley (Coeburn, Va.) notched her third career multi-hit performance in game two while freshman Shon Jordan (Hermitage, Tenn.) hit her second career home run.
Game one: Erskine 3, Carson-Newman 0
Erskine struck first in game one. Reagan Davis led things off with a single to center, took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a sacrifice.
She scored a batter later when Sydney Smith singled to second to put the Flying Fleet up 1-0.
Smith stole second and third with two out for Lydia Trexler who doubled to left center off a 2-2 pitch to put the Flying Fleet up 2-0.
Carson-Newman appeared to be on its way to evening the score in the second. Talisa Fiame (Pacifica, Calif.) was hit by a pitch, Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) walked, as did Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) to load the bases with no one out.
However, Fiame was picked off at third, and then a fly out and ground out ended the inning before the Eagles could light the scoreboard.
Erskine got another run across in the third. Brittany Reynolds led off the inning with a base hit to left center before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Trexler reached on an error by Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) that brought Reynolds in for an unearned run, extending the lead to 3-0.
Carson-Newman's offense remained stalled throughout the game. The Eagles only had five base runners in the form of one hit batsman, a trio of players who reached on bases on balls and one who reached on an error.
Danica Newtwon hurled a no-hitter, the first against Carson-Newman in at least eight seasons. She got the win and retired 11 consecutive Eagles to end the game. She moved to 5-3 on the year with the win.
Webster took the hard luck loss for Carson-Newman. She gave up six hits and struck out five. Webster fall to 12-7 on the year. Five of her losses this season have come in games where she has given up four or fewer runs.
Carson-Newman falls to 0-6 on the year when its opponent scores in the first inning.
Game two: Carson-Newman 4, Erskine 2
Game two started off a touch better for the Eagles than game one. Siebert collected a base hit up the middle in the first before C-N left two runners on base in the inning.
Defensively, the Eagles saved a run in the second with a classic 6-2-5-1-5-2 pickoff to get Brooke Rhinehardt out trying to come home.
The Eagles finally got on the scoreboard in the third when Shon Jordan (Hermitage, Tenn.) nailed her second home run of the year over the wall in left centerfield to put the Eagles up 1-0 to lead off the inning.
That lead would be short-lived for the Eagles. Rhinehardt led off the third with a bunt single and promptly swiped second. She moved to third on a Reynolds single down the left field line. Reynolds moved to second on the throw to give the Flying Fleet a pair of runners in scoring position.
Sydney Smith then delivered a single to center to clear the bases and put Erskine in front 2-1.
Carson-Newman would even the score the next half inning. After back-to-back foul outs to open the frame, the Eagles managed to finagle the bases loaded with two hit batsmen and a Toppel single to second.
Siebert grounded a ball back to the circle, however, Kaylin White threw wide of the bag to first allowing Siebert to reach safely and Erin Stanley (Coeburn, Va.) to score.
Carson-Newman retook the lead in the fifth with a two-out rally. After one-out walks for Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) and Fiame, the pair moved into scoring position on an Ashlyn Cooper (Friendsville, Tenn.) groundout to third.
Stanley delivered an RBI single up the middle to plate Fiame. Then, Toppel was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jordan worked the count to 3-1 before walking with the bases loaded to bring in her second run of the day and make it 4-2 C-N.
The Eagles ran into a spot of bother in the bottom of the seventh. Rhinehardt single to left to lead off the inning before Regan Davis blooped a ball into right to put the tying run on.
A Reynolds sacrifice moved the tying run into scoring position.
Smith then grounded into a fielder's choice to Siebert at second. Siebert zipped the ball home to retire Rhinehardt at the plate for the second out of the inning. Chandler Crawford grounded out to Siebert to end the game.
Danielle Kranz (Fairfield, Calif.) got the complete game win in game two. She improves to 4-5 after scattering nine hits and striking out three with two walks.
Kaylin White took the loss in relief for Erskine to fall to 9-3.
The Eagles remain on the road Saturday in the Palmetto State at Newberry. First pitch between the Eagles and Wolves is slated for 2 p.m. Coverage of the game will be available on the Eagle Sports Network with an audio stream at cneagles.com/live.
