COLUMBIA, S.C. – Carson-Newman (10-2) started slow, but finished furiously to sweep a doubleheader from Benedict (2-5) Friday afternoon in at the Benedict softball field.
The Eagles took game one 8-2 before crushing three dingers in the night cap en route to a 13-0 run-rule win.
Cheyenne Boles (Knoxville, Tenn.) only crushed two homers in the second game to go along with a pair of doubles. The 12 total bases are the second most in school history, trailing only Bre Lockett's 13 total bases from a win over Bluefield State on Feb. 7, 2015.
"We had to adjust to their pitching, and that took a little bit" Kazee-Hollifield said. "It was Cheyenne who came in and certainly gave us a lift in game two. She swung the bat well."
Abigail Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) went 5-for-7 at the plate with four RBI, a triple and a homer. Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) and Erin Stanley (Coeburn, Va.) all drove in multiple runs through the games.
Neither Carson-Newman starting pitcher, Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) and Rinus, gave up an earned run on the day. Heather Foreman (Knoxville, Tenn.) got in 3.1 innings of relief work on the afternoon.
"Lacie and Alli were effective in what they did." Kazee-Hollifield said. "It was nice to get Heather some relief work. She accounted for herself well, but also has room for improvement and things to work on."
Game One: Carosn-Newman 8, Benedict 2
Carson-Newman started slow, but preyed on Benedict miscues to get the job done in game one. The Eagles didn't get rolling until the second. KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) led off the inning with a triple to left before coming in to score on a Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) sacrifice fly.
The Eagles manufactured a run in the third with Kennedy Richardson (Elizabethton, Tenn.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) on base. The pair executed a double steal to both get in scoring position. Then Richardson came home on a wild pitch. Following a strikeout by Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) for out two, Taylor Scott (Huntington, W.Va.) nailed a single to left center to bring in Fiessinger.
After Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) struck out the side defensively in the third, the Eagles offense got back to work in the fourth.
The Eagles started the frame with a double up the gut from Rinus and a single from Webster. Rinus scored on an RBI fielder's choice from Sarah Barrett (West Hamlin, W.Va.). Then things got wonky. Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) walked and moved to second on the same play thanks to a throwing error by the catcher that also allowed Barrett to score from first. Barrett scoring was aided by a throwing error by the got a run back right fielder. An RBI fielder's choice from Toppel rounded out the scoring and put the Eagles up 6-0.
Benedict got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a SAC fly.
The Eagles added single runs in the fifth and seventh on RBI singles from Webster and Rinus. Another SAC fly from the Tigers set the final margin at 8-2.
Webster got the win in the circle for the Eagles to move to 5-1. She got the start and went 4.2 innings of one-run, one-hit ball with seven strikeouts. The one run Webster allowed was unearned. She didn't walk anyone. Heather Foreman (Knoxville, Tenn.) pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and a run.
Cerica Pye took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year. She allowed seven hits and five of the six runs that crossed while she was in were earned.
Game two: Carson-Newman 13, Benedict 0 (five innings)
The Eagles offense was little more lively in game two. Fiessinger hit her league-leading fifth home run of the season to lead off the game. It was the first time that a player started a game with a home run since Haley Taylor hit a moon shot to center to kickoff a a doubleheader sweep of Anderson in 2015.
Cheyenne Boles (Knoxville, Tenn.) would pay a visit to the land beyond the fence an inning later. She ripped a two-run bomb to extend the lead to 3-0 in the second.
After a scoreless third, the Eagles opened up the floodgates in the fourth with a 10-run inning. Boles started the scoring with her second home run in as many at bats and the fifth of her career. Other highlights included a two-run triple from Fiessinger, an RBI double from Boles and a two-RBI single from Erin Stanley (Coeburn, Va.).
When the dust settled, it was 13-0 in favor of the Eagles.
Rinus got the win in the circle to improve to 5-1 after striking out 10 batters for a second consecutive game. She only allowed a second-inning bunt single. Foreman worked an inning in relief. She gave up a hit and struck out one.
Kendall James took the loss in a three-inning start. Taylor Roberts pitched the final two innings, surrendering seven hits and six runs.
The Eagles are back it at Georgia College on Saturday. Follow @cnathletics on Twitter for updates and visit gcbobcats.com for live stats.
