VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Rachel Kay Interview
VIDEO: Haley Schultz Interview
VIDEO: Katie Eakes Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (15-5) had seven players who never recorded an out as the Eagles strolled to a shutout, run-rule sweep of Bluefield State (0-8) Sunday afternoon at the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex.
The Eagles pounded out 32 hits and 27 runs in the 13-0 and 14-0 five-inning wins.
"Offensively we hit the ball hard," head softball coach Michael Graves said. "We didn't have many bloop hits. We found gaps and hit balls off the fence in a pretty strong wind."
Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) and Katie Eakes (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) were both flawless at the plate.
Smith went 6-for-6 with two doubles, two triples and five RBI. Meanwhile Eakes was 5-for-5 with seven batted in with a double.
Grace Laws (Palmersville, Tenn.) tallied her first career RBI, as did Carmen Holt (Lawrenceville, Ky.), who ended up driving in four across the twin bill. Karissa Schnitz (Smiths, Ala.) notched her first career hit and first career RBI as well.
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 13, Bluefield State 0 (five innings)
Carson-Newman jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one following an RBI triple from Smith and an RBI single slashed to right from Eakes.
The Eagles pounded out six runs in the bottom of the second. Holt jump started the rally with an RBI single through the left side.
Eakes and Smith both tallied two-RBI hits in the frame as well.
Carson-Newman scratched across one in the bottom of the third on a Maddie Gillett (Howell, Mich.) RBI groundout before rolling to a four-run fourth.
Schnitz tallied her first career hit with an RBI single to left before coming in to score on a wild pitch.
Holt added to her tally with a sacrifice fly before Laws finished the scoring with an RBI to centerfield.
NicKolette Ferguson (Erwin, Tenn.) logged her sixth win in the circle. She dealt the first three innings with six strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Addison Lowe (Sweetwater, Tenn.) wrapped things up for C-N with two-innings of one-hit shutout relief work.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 14, Bluefield State 0 (five innings)
Much like game one, C-N started slowly before exploding in the second.
Eakes and Schultz tallied RBI knocks in the first before the Eagles broke out the merry-go-round in the second.
SieAnna Cameron (Friendsville, Tenn.) tallied a bunt single coupled with a throwing error by the catcher got the scoring started in a five-run second.
Makayla McCarthy (El Cajon, Calif.) capped the frame with a two-RBI double that she squeezed inside the left field line.
The Eagles kept add it in the third with an RBI triple from Smith to left, a SAC fly from Eakes and a Schultz RBI single to right.
Carson-Newman rounded out the slaughter with a two-out rally in the fourth.
Smith logged her second RBI of the day with a single to left before Holt and Eakes both doubled in runs.
McCarthy got the job done in the circle to improve to 3-1. She dealt a 3.0-inning, one-hit start with three Ks.
Rachel Kay (Chattanooga, Tenn.) wrapped up in relief with her first career innings. She gave up one hit.
Carson-Newman returns to action Tuesday against No. 4 Lincoln Memorial at 1 p.m.
