GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Seventh-ranked and top-seeded Lincoln Memorial (36-5) scored four times in the top of the third and never looked back in downing fifth-seeded Carson-Newman (22-12) 7-2 in the SAC semifinals Sunday morning at Red Edmunds Field.
Carson-Newman, which had the sixth highest RPI in the southeast region, but was unranked in the first region rankings, will have to wait to see whether or not it makes a fourth consecutive Southeast Regional.
"I'm so thankful for this senior class for what they have given to the program over the last five years through a lot of adversity," Carson-Newman head coach Michael Graves said. "Hopefully the regional committee will see that we still had a good record and that there were very few losses by more than a run or two and we'll get a few more games out of a great group of girls.
"If this is the end, we at least went down swinging. I am by no means taking anything away from LMU's win but I felt like we hit better than them the whole game. We flew out to the fence and hit balls off the fence all day. The team that hits the ball harder doesn't always get the "W" and that's what makes this a great game. Congratulations to Coach Ritchie and his team for getting timely knocks and making some really good defensive plays to get the win. They are for sure a really good team and I know that we are too."
After both teams faced the minimum through the first two innings, Lincoln Memorial's offense got on track in the third, all with two out. Ty-Kella Goins slashed an RBI single up the middle to start the scoring.
Following a Madison Henry single to give the Railsplitters a pair of base runners, Siera Hucklebee smashed one back up the box to score the second run of the frame.
An error in the circle loaded the bases for LMU and Audrey Petoskey made the Eagles pay by singling up the middle to plate two unearned runs and give LMU a 4-2 lead
Carson-Newman managed to strike for two in the top of the fourth.
KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) knocked a one-out single to left to set the table for Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) and Katie Eakes (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.). The duo ripped back-to-back doubles to left and right center, respectively to score twice and get C-N within two runs, 4-2.
Lincoln Memorial extended the lead back to four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Petoskey hit a bouncer up the box to score one with one out before Kelsey Tuggle singled down the right field line to extend the lead back to four runs, 6-2.
The Railsplitters tagged on one more run in the sixth thanks to an Emma Webb RBI single to set the final margin at 7-2.
In the top of the seventh, Carson-Newman got a one-out single from Makayla McCarthy, but that was all the offense the Eagles could muster in the seventh.
Emma Frost got the win in relief for the Railsplitters after starter Bailey Griffith didn't meet the pitching minimum to qualify for a win.
Frost, the league's pitcher of the year improved to 18.2 with the victory. She fired the final 3.2 innings with four hits of shut out ball while striking out three. Griffith went 3.1 innings with three hits and two runs.
Lacie Rinus took the loss for the Eagles in a 3.0-inning start to drop to 8-10. She allowed five hits and four runs, only two earned. Rinus struck out three and didn't walk anyone.
Smith led Carson-Newman's offense with a 2-for-3 day. She knocked two doubles and drove in a run.
Eakes tallied C-N's only other extra base hit and RBI.
Petoskey guided Lincoln Memorial's offense with a three-hit day while driving in three.
Hucklebee and Henry each had a double for LMU.
LMU advances to face the winner of Tusculum and Anderson in the SAC title game.
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