NEWBERRY, S.C. – Both Carson-Newman (19-7, 1-1 South Atlantic Conference) and Newberry (18-10, 1-1 SAC) used massive two-out rallies to each collect a win Saturday afternoon at the Smith Road Complex.
Carson-Newman run-ruled the Wolves in game one 8-0 in five innings before Newberry powered out an 11-4 win in the nightcap. The Eagles scored six of their eight runs in game one with two outs, meanwhile 10 of Newberry's 11 runs in game two came with two away.
"Game one was one of the most complete games we've played this season," head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "We were disciplined, we hit the ball well, we pitched well, we played great defense. Everything came together and it was as good of a team effort we have had all season.
"I have to give Newberry credit. They hit the ball in game two. Then, there were just some small things we could have done to prevent some of those runs defensively. We mentally have to be prepared to play 14 innings, and we didn't do that today."
Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) and Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) both went 3-for-6 at the plate for the doubleheader. Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) drove in three runs.
Game one: Carson-Newman 8, Newberry 0 (five innings)
Carson-Newman got the lead in the second thanks to Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.). The senior led off the second inning with a 2-0 smash to straight away center field to put the Eagles up 1-0.
The Eagles added to their lead two innings later. Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) doubled to center to lead off the innings, then moved to third when Haley Caldwell (Kenova, W.Va.) singled to left.
Caldwell then stole second to give the Eagles a pair of runners in scoring position.
Pritchett drove in her second run of the game with an RBI groundout to second.
After another groundout, Taylor Scott (Huntington, W.Va.) came through with a timely two-out rap to center to plate Caldwell and extend the Eagles' lead to 3-0.
The Eagles weren't done with the two-out magic. Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) sliced a triple to center field after Ashlyn Cooper (Friendsville, Tenn.) doubled and KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) got plunked.
The three-RBI triple put C-N in front 6-0. The Eagles still weren't done. Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) drove in Fiessinger with a double down the left field line. She then swiped second and scored on a Rinus double to left center to put C-N up 8-0 with a seven-run fourth.
All but one run in the fourth C-N scored with two outs. The Eagles went 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and went 5-for-10 with two outs.
Rinus got the complete-game, two-hit shutout in the circle to improve to 11-5. She struck out four and didn't issue a free pass on the day. She carried a no-hitter into the fourth before giving up a pair of knocks in the frame.
Alyssa Ball took the loss for the Wolves to fall to 7-6. She tossed the first 3.2 innings of the game before giving way to Chelsea Cunningham. Ball allowed six runs off six hits. Everything against ear was earned. Cunningham allowed three hits and two earned runs in her relief outing. Cunningham struck out one and neither pitcher issues a free pass.
Game two: Newberry 11, Carson-Newman 4
Carson-Newman again lit the lamp first in game two. Fiessinger led off the game with a base hit before Rinus moved her to second when she got hit by a pitch. Following a pop up that put out number two on the board.
Pritchett then yanked a ball into right. The inning should have been over, but the Wolves' right fielder dropped the fly ball. That allowed Fiessinger to score and put C-N up 1-0.
That lead would be short-lived. Newberry rallied with runs in the third and fourth innings.
The Wolves did their damage with two outs. In the third and with a runner on second, Natalie Willis creamed a triple to right before Paige Meyer dropped an RBI infield single to third to put Newberry up 2-1.
The Trojans then hammered out five runs in the fourth, all five runs scored with two outs. McKenzie Barneycastle drove in the first run with a triple to right field. A walk beget a Willis RBI single to left that extended the advantage to 4-1 for the Wolves. Then Haley Simonds crammed a 1-1 pitch over the wall in center to push the lead out to 7-1.
Carson-Newman got a run back in the sixth. Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) led off the inning and reached on a throwing error by the pitcher. Caldwell took advantage of the fleet-of-foot baserunner and drove in Sohm with a base hit to right. That brought the Eagles within five, 7-2.
After a walk and a wild pitch, a Morgan Crawford (Chickamauga, Ga.) sacrifice fly brought in the second run of the inning and got Carson-Newman within four. Scott singled to left to score a pinch-running Haley Kyle and get the Eagles within three.
The Wolves added a run back in the sixth with a Willis double to right to stretch the advantage back to four, 8-4. An RBI fielder's choice for Paige Meyer stretched the advantage back to five runs, 9-4. A two-run single set the final margin at 11-4 and capped a four-run sixth for the Wolves.
Emily Marchbanks got the win for the Wolves in the circle to improve to 7-2. She worked 5.2 innings, allowing four hits and four runs.
Crawford took the loss for the Eagles to fall to 8-2. She pitched three innings, giving up five hits and three runs. Rinus pitched the final three frames with eight hits and eight runs allowed.
The Eagles return to The Vick Tuesday to play Anderson twice. First pitch against the Trojans is slated for 2 p.m. Coverage will be available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.