VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: KaraLynne Levi Interview
VIDEO: Shannon Smith Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (11-3, 2-0 South Atlantic Conference) pounded out 25 hits, hit .510 and outscored Mars Hill (2-8, 0-2 SAC) 23-7 across two games in a doubleheader sweep of the Lions Sunday at the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex.
The Eagles won game one 12-4 in five innings before walking things off via the run-rule against in five innings in the night cap 11-3.
"We know we hit the ball well," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "We've gotten to the point where hitting is just fun for us. We've gotten to the point where we're trying to hit the left and right center gaps. It's really paying off for us."
Five different players tallied multi-RBI efforts led by KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) who drove in five.
The contests saw 10 different multi-hit efforts between the two games. Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) and Haley Caldwell (Kenova, W.Va.) both went 5-for-6 at the plate.
"Shannon doesn't think when she goes to the plate," Graves said. "Where they pitch her the ball, she hits it. She is a machine. Caldwell has gotten going after a slower start. Lacie was big today. We have to get her bat going and today was a huge step in getting her the right direction. KaraLynne seems like she's swinging at beach balls, her only problem is that she'll send some screamers at me in the coaches box."
Carson-Newman hit .467 with runners in scoring position. The Eagles were 9-for-12 for the twinbill with a runner on third and less than two out.
The contests weren't without some level of consternation for the Eagles. C-N made a season-high four errors in game one, it's third four-error gave in the last four years.
Furthermore, Mars Hill slugged four home runs through the two games, three in game one and one in game two. All four of the Lions knocks in the second game were extra base hits.
"Sometimes we rely too much on our offense," Graves said. "Our pitchers need to be better keeping the ball down and our infielders misplayed two three hoppers on the corners. You can't make those mistakes and expect to win."
The wins mark Carson-Newman's first run-rule sweep to start SAC play since 2017 when the Eagles pulled it off against Queens.
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 12, Mars Hill 4 (five innings)
The Eagles scored twice off of five hits to open the game. Shannnon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) doubled, while Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) and Haley Caldwell (Kenova, W.Va.) singled to load the bases without an out.
KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) spiked a ball into left to plate Smith for the go-ahead run. Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) then skidded a ball through the left side to give Carson-Newman a 2-0 lead.
Mars Hilll countered in the top of the second. Ashley Evans led off the inning tanking a 2-2 pitch to left before Emily Burriss followed placing an 0-1 pitch to the same part of the park to tie the game 2-2.
The tie game wouldn't last long. The Eagles powered back in front 7-2 in the bottom half of the second, tallying five runs off four hit and three errors in the inning.
Taylor Scott (Huntington, W.Va.) got hit to lead off the inning, then Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) nipped an infield single to give C-N a pair of runners. Smith clobbered a single back up the middle to plate both runs aided by a throwing error in center to push C-N back in front 4-2.
A Fiessinger single smoked through the right side to plate Smith. After a pop up, Levi scored a pinch-running Grace Laws (Palmersville, Tenn.) when the former reached on a throwing error at short.
Keeley Quillen's (Gate City, Va.) second triple of the day rounded out the scoring to give the Eagles a five-run cushion after two.
Carson-Newman kept the foot on the gas in the bottom of the third. The Eagles loaded the bases with one out off of two hit batters and a walk. Caldwell nipped a 3-2 pitch into left to score one and stretch the edge to 8-2.
Levi kept the party rolling with a bases clearing double over the head of the centerfielder before Rinus rounded out the scoring in the five-run frame with an RBI single through the right side that gave C-N a 12-2 lead.
The Lions got something back in the top of the fourth when Burriss led off the inning with a no-doubter to center to pull the Lions within nine, 12-3. An error in the circle allowed the Lions second run to come in off an Ashley Hamlin knock that plated Danielle Harris.
However, the Lions couldn't produce another run to extend the game.
Morgen Baker-Celis (Kentfield, Calif.) got the win in the circle. She pitched the first 3.2 innings giving up four hits and four runs, three earned. Baker-Celis improved to 3-0 on the year.
Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) worked 1.1 innings of relief with three strikeouts.
Ashley Collins took the loss after allowing 10 hits and 11 runs, nine earned in a 2.1 inning start. She fell to 2-4 on the year.
Smith collected her second career three-hit day. Levi went 2-for-3 with four RBI.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 11, Mars Hill 3 (five innings)
Carson-Newman used a two-out rally to grab a lead in game two in the first inning. Caldwell ripped a pitch back up the gut for a two-out single before moving to second on a wild pitch. The extra base was all Levi needed to stroke a ball into left and plate Caldwell from two bases away for a 1-0 advantage.
The Eagles extended the lead in the second. Rinus singled and Mary Vandergriff (Chattanooga, Tenn.) reached on an error to start the inning. Taylor Scott (Huntington, W.Va.) lambasted a double to left center to sore Rinus and stretch the Eagle edge to 2-0.
After a walk to Sohm to load the bases, Smith drove in Vandergriff for an unearned run with a sacrifice fly. Caldwell rounded out the scoring when she got plunked with the bases juiced to give C-N a 4-0 edge.
Mars Hill would make up some of the deficit in the top of the third. Maggie Langheim doubled in a run to center to spark a two-out rally before Evans grooved her second home run of the doubleheader to left field to cut the lead to 4-3.
Carson-Newman added to its lead in the fourth. Smith led off the inning with a double and scored a batter later when Fiessinger tripled past the diving Lions centerfielder Cassidy Allen.
Caldwell kept things going slamming a base hit to center to score Fiessinger and give C-N a 6-3 lead. Rinus rounded out the scoring with a bases loaded RBI groundout to stretch the lead back to four runs, 7-3.
The Eagles would walk it off via the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth. Sohm walked to lead off the inning before stealing second and third.
She strode home when Smith looped a double down the left field line.
A batter later, Fiessinger clobbered one back up the middle to plate Smith and extend the Eagles' edge to 9-3.
Caldwell doubled to put the game-ending run on second base when Levi walked to load things up.
Fiessinger scored on a wild pitch, then Quillen ended things with a walk-off sacrifice fly to right to set the final margin at 11-3.
Rinus got the win in relief, firing 2.1 innings of perfect softball. Rinus improved to 6-1 on the year in retiring all seven batters she faced, three via strikeouts.
Makayla McCarthy (El Cajon, Calif.) worked a 2.2-inning start, giving up four hits and three runs, all earned. She fanned four and didn't walk anyone.
Jennifer Poston took the loss for MHU to fall to 0-3. She allowed four runs, three earned, off four hits in a 1.2-inning start.
The Eagles take on rival Tusculum Saturday at 1 p.m. from Red Edmonds Field.
