HICKORY, N.C. – Carson-Newman (21-11, 14-10 South Atlantic Conference) left zero doubt it would make the field for the 2021 SAC Softball Tournament by taking two from Lenoir-Rhyne (16-14, 12-10 SAC) Saturday at Bears Field.
The Eagles won game one 6-4 before prevailing in the nightcap in eight innings 2-1.
The losses are the fifth and sixth straight for L-R while the Eagles win their third and fourth consecutive over the Bears, all in Hickory. Carson-Newman hasn't won four straight in the series over Lenoir-Rhyne since winning 28 straight to start the series, a streak that ended in 1999.
Facing a scenario where the Eagles could finish as high as third in the league standings but also as low as 10th and on the outside looking in for the conference tournament, C-N delivered two sensational Ws to lock up a spot in the tournament.
"I am so proud of the determination and effort that everyone gave today," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "I think we did a good job in game one of making in game adjustments that paid off. Game two was a hard fought battle that Lacie Rinus just refused to lose. If we get this effort the rest of the way, we will be a tough out for anybody."
Rinus dealt a complete-game win in the circle in game two with eight strikeouts while delivering a three-hit day with a game-winning RBI double in the top of the eighth of game two.
Carson-Newman grabbed its first sweep since taking two from Bluefield State on March 21st and its first in league play since downing Limestone twice on March 10.
The Eagles wrap up the regular season at 21-11 and will await the results of remaining games Sunday and Monday to determine who they face in the conference tournament starting Friday.
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 6, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
Carson-Newman was able to grab a lead without a hit in the top of the first. A hit batter, a walk and another hit batter loaded the bases with two out for Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.).
The senior sent a high chopper to short. Talon LaClair tried to go to second to end the inning, but her throw to get Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) was late allowing Levi to score. Keeley Quillen (Gate City, Va.) worked a five-pitch walk to drive in another run to set C-N up 2-0 after a half inning.
Lenoir-Rhyne countered immediately after a lead-off walk to Savannah Moorefield, Kylee Leonhardt drove a two-run moon shot to left to draw the Bears even at 2-2.
Carson-Newman was able to strand the go-ahead runner at third in both the second and third innings before the Eagles broke through in the fourth.
Haley Schultz (Powell, Tenn.) and Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) both squibbed infield singles to give C-N a pair of base runners with one out.
KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) drove a double off the wall in right to clear the bases and give C-N a 4-2 lead. After a strikeout, Katie Eakes (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) went yard to right to stretch the edge to 6-2 off an 0-1 pitch.
Lenoir-Rhyne got two back in the bottom of the fifth. Savannah Moorefield tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a LaClair sacrifice fly. Lora Beth Wood added to the effort with an RBI double to slash the Eagles' lead to 6-4.
Morgen Baker-Celis (Kentfield, Calif.) logged the complete game win in the circle to improve to 5-2. She scattered eight hits and all four runs that crossed against her were earned. She issues three walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Lauren Rakes dropped to 6-6 with the loss. She also allowed eight hits with six runs, all earned. While she struck out nine, she also walked five and hit two. Of the eight hits she allowed, five were for extra bases.
Leah Sohm tallied a multi-hit day while Levi and Eakes both drove in a pair of runs.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 2, Lenoir-Rhyne 1 (eight innings)
After two strikeouts to open the contest, Carson-Newman strung together back-to-back-to-back two-out singles to grab an early 1-0 lead. Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) singled to center, Eakes to right before Hughes drove in Smith with a stinger to right center.
Lenoir-Rhyne leveled things up in the bottom of the fifth. Leanna Sherill led off the inning with a double to left center before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt. After a walk and a line out, Hannah Jennings came through with an RBI double to right center off a 2-2 pitch to level things up at 1-1.
Both teams saw the go-ahead run get in scoring position in the seventh, but neither team could scrape across the winning run in regulation.
With Madison Mathis (Chattanooga, Tenn.) pinch-running on second in place of the international-rule runner Levi, Smith dropped down a sacrifice bunt to give the Eagles a runner on third. After a walk and a strikeout, Rinus came up with a double to the wall in right to deliver the go-ahead run.
In the bottom off the eighth for the Bears, L-R threatened after a pop-up bunt shot over the head of the infielders to give the Bears runners on the corners with no one out. However, Rinus buckled down and struck out the side to cement the sweep.
Rinus was the driving force for C-N in game two. She went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and the go-ahead run batted in.
In the circle, Rinus improved to 7-9 with the 8.0-inning outing, scattering eight hits with one run allowed. She stranded 11 L-R runners. Rinus walked four and fanned eight.
Morgan Beeler was the hard-luck loser for the Bears, dropping to 6-3 in defeat. She scattered six hits across eight innings of work with two runs allowed, only one of which was earned. She walked two and struck out five.
Carson-Newman will play in the SAC tournament starting Friday in Greenville, Tenn. at Tusculum's Red Edmonds Field. The Eagles will await Sunday and Monday's results to determine their seed and opponent for the event.
