GREENVILLLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (21-11) hung crooked numbers in the first and seventh innings and used a complete-game pitching performance to roll 7-3 over Wingate (21-18) Friday morning in the quarterfinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament at Red Edmunds Field.
Carson-Newman struck for three in the first and three in the seventh to bookend the offensive performance off a 10-hit day.
Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) hurled the complete game in the circle. She allowed eight hits and three runs, all earned, while walking three and striking out five. She improved to 8-9 with the win.
"We had a lot of effort and determination today," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "Our seniors set the tone early and everyone seemed to feed off of it. We do need to clean up some base running mistakes, I think we are playing great ball at the right time. Leah made some great defensive plays on a very hard infield. KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) called a great game behind the plate, and I can't say enough about the job (assistant coach) Kristen Toppel has done getting this team ready to play."
Carson-Newman struck first. Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) led off the frame with a walk before scoring from three bases away on a KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) double to right center.
The RBI gave Levi her 143rd for her career to move into a tie with Lisa Rogers for sixth on the all-time list.
After a ground out, Katie Eakes (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) slammed her eighth home run of the season to left to give C-N a 3-0 lead.
Wingate was able to get a run back in the bottom of the second. A hit batter and a single gave the Bulldogs two aboard on first and second. Sara Stroud sliced a 3-1 pitch back up the box to give Wingate a run.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the inning, but Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) got a punch out and a fielder's choice to keep the C-N lead at 4-2.
The Eagles tagged the run back on in the top of the third. Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) was plunked to lead off the inning. A single from Rinus and a stolen base gave the Eagles two in scoring position.
Haley Caldwell (Kenova, W.Va.) skied a fly out to right to allow Hughes to tag up and give C-N a 4-1 edge.
Wingate struck again in the bottom of the third. Sam Hogan sliced a one-out doubled before Sadie McWilliams worked a pinch-hit one-out walk. Raelynn Kramer hit a bouncer up the gut to pull within two, 4-2.
The Bulldogs made it a one-run game in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a Haley Cashwell single and a wild pitch. Heaven Maness flew out to right to bring her home with a sacrifice fly.
The Eagles got oodles of insurance in the top of the seventh. A Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) single sandwiched a flyout and a strikeout.
Hughes reached on an error by the pitcher to load the bases and extend the inning.
Caldwell brought home her second run of the day by getting plunked before Makayla McCarthy (El Cajon, Calif.) drove a two-run single down the left field line to set the final margin at 7-3.
Wingate did get a pair of base runners in the bottom of the seventh off hit batters. But a pair of flyouts ended the threat.
Eakes, Sohm and Rinus all tallied multi-hit days. Eakes, McCarthy and Caldwell each drove in a pair of runs.
Cashwell led Wingate's offense with a 3-for-4 day at the plate.
Aubree Reep took the loss for the Bulldogs in the circle to drop to 8-5. She pitched 6.2 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs, four earned. She walked one and struck out two.
Carson-Newman faces the winner of Lincoln Memorial and UVA Wise in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday.
