VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Lacie Rinus Interview
VIDEO: Abby Fiessinger Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman opened the gates to the Vick on Saturday by allowing a single run on a combined six hits in a doubleheader sweep of Limestone with 8-0 run-rule and 4-1 victories.
The wins push Carson-Newman (7-3) to 16-straight non-conference home victories. In that stretch, five of those wins have come via the run-rule.
Through both games, Carson-Newman clobbered 12 runs on 18 hits including a pair of cannonballs from Keely Quillen (Gate City, Va.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.).
"I thought we took a lot better approach at the plate," Carson-Newman coach Michael Graves said. "First game, first two innings, we were still a little slow as far as what I expect out of them as far as swinging the bat. I thought we took too many pitches. I think nine out of the first 10 took a first-pitch strike, so I talked to them a little bit about that and they made a good adjustment. I think it showed as far as the balls we put in play."
The long ball from Fiessinger moved her to fourth on the program's career home runs list with 29. She served up a 5-of-7 outing from the plate through both games, driving in five runs. The only other Eagles with multiple RBIs on the day were Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) and Haley Caldwell (Kenova, W.Va.) with two and three, respectively.
In the circle, Graves' group saw complete-game efforts from Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Makayla McCarthy (El Cajon, Calif.). Rinus worked a no-hitter through 4.1 frames.
"That looked like old Lacie that we typically see and very-much need," Graves said. "Makayla got going too."
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 8, Limestone 0 (six innings)
Carson-Newman bounced out to a lead in the second taking advantage of Limestone miscues. The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs off a Rinus single to center, an error in the circle and a walk to Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Smith came through with the timely two-out hit slicing a two-out hit through the left side to plate Rinus from third and give C-N a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles added to their advantage in the third inning. Quillen ripped a 2-0 pitch down the left field line for a solo home run and her fifth dinger of the year. The two-out blast extended Carson-Newman's lead to 2-0.
Carson-Newman picked up more two-out magic in the fourth. After a ground out and a strike out to start the inning, Sohm ignited the rally by singling to left and stealing second. Smith doubled in her second run of the day a shot to left center to score Sohm. Fiessinger then pounded a ball back up the middle to score Smith. The freshman slid under a tag at the plate to push the Eagles' edge to 4-0.
C-N then walked it off via the run-rule in the sixth with a four-run frame. Sohm got the inning started with an infield single to short. After an error at short gave C-N two base runners, Fiessinger cleared the bases with a double down the left field line. She scored on a Caldwell single to left center. KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) ended the game in run-rule walk-off fashion with a double to center.
Rinus logged the win to improve to 4-1. She dealt a complete-game one-hit shutout. Rinus only struck out two, but didn't walk a soul. She recorded 12 ground ball outs on 79 pitches.
Sydney Sullivan took the loss for Limestone to fall to 1-1. Thomas pitched the first five innings. She allowed nine hits with seven runs allowed, six earned.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 4, Limestone 1
It took two and a half innings before Carson-Newman found its groove at the plate in the nightcap. With two outs on the board, Fiessinger sent a launch over the right-field wall to give C-N a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
"I've been thinking way too much here lately, so it has just not been good," Fiessinger said. "My head has not been where it needs to in the box, so this game, I was just trying to let go of the pressure, just take the pressure off myself and see what happens. I knew that 2-0 count, that's a hitter's count. I was just going to let her throw me and hopefully hit the ball out of the park.
In the bottom of the fifth, Fiessinger struck again with more insurance for the Orange and Blue. She sent a single up the middle that drove in Sohm for a 2-0 lead that came with an errant throw to the plate that advanced Smith to third and Fiessinger to second.
Caldwell followed the RBI with a pair of her own. The junior lofted a triple deep to left center that sent Smith and Karissa Schnitz (Smith, Ala.), pinch-running for Fiessinger, charging home to extend the Eagles' lead, 4-0.
A lead-off double to left center from Jordan Rowe to start the top of the seventh set the Saints in a position to notch their first run of the entire day. With an out already registered, Audra Butler sent a single down the left field line that brought Howe in to score, cutting the C-N lead to three at 4-1.
With a runner in scoring position, the Eagles ended the Saints' threat by turning a 6-4-3 double play to get the final pair of outs needed.
McCarthy tallied the complete-game win to move to 1-2 on the season, allowing five hits with a trio of strikeouts. Much like Rinus in game one, the junior did not send anyone to first base via a walk.
Caroline Ruth faced the loss in the affair, now sitting at 4-2 on the year. She watched as the Eagles batted around seven hits while striking out three.
The Eagles get back on the road this week for a Tuesday tussle with North Greenville. That doubleheader against the Crusaders is set to begin at 3 p.m. in Tigerville, S.C.
