Offense clicks early in two run-rule wins in Milledgeville

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Carson-Newman (2-0) pounded out 22 runs on 21 hits to pick up a pair of run-rule wins Saturday evening at the Georgia College Invitational at the Peeler Complex.

The Eagles bounded out of the gates in game one with a 10-0, five-inning triumph over Florida Tech (0-2) before capping the day in the late game with a 12-4, six-inning win over Georgia College.

"I was very pleased with our approach at the plate and it paid dividends for our offense," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "I think we lost a little focus late in game two with a big lead. That is something that I think they will resolve themselves after today."

For all its offensive prowess, the day wasn't without some trepidation.  Carson-Newman made five errors against the Bobcats in game two  leading to a trio of unearned runs that allowed Georgia College to extend the game beyond the fifth inning.

Even with the five-error day in the night cap, the eight-run triumph marks just the third run-rule win over the Bobcats in the 33 all-time meetings between the two teams. Meanwhile, the 12 runs C-N scored are the second most all-time against their foes from the Peach Belt Conference. 

Carson-Newman improved to 33-3 all-time in season openers with the run-rule win over the Panthers. It hasn't been too long since C-N last started the season with a double-digit run-rule win.  The Eagles opened 2020 with a 14-0 win at Converse. 

Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) and SieAnna Cameron (Friendsville, Tenn.) both had stellar offensive days. Sohm was 5-for-7 at the plate with six runs scored and a triple.  Cameron also hit a triple as part of a 4-for-6 day. 

Carmen Holt (Lawrenceburg, Ky.), Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) and Hayden  Dye (Powell, Tenn.) all drove in four runs. 

The Eagles kept consistent offensive pressure on their opponents with seven stolen bases in as many attempts. 

GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 10, Florida Tech 0 (five innings)

Carson-Newman took advantage of Florida Tech miscues early to build an early lead.  It didn't take long for the Eagles to grab a lead.  Natalie Corbin (Tybee Island, Ga.) walked to lead off the game before sprinting to second on a Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) infield single to short. 

Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) shot a ball to left that was bobbled.  Corbin raced home on the error before Harris stole second. 

Back-to-back RBI groundouts from Carmen Holt (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) and Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) gave C-N a 3-0 lead after one. 

C-N added another unearned run in the third when Kennedy Warder (Harrodsburg, Ky.) reached on an error at short with two outs in the third. That allowed Harris to scamper home for a 4-0 lead. 

The Eagles blew the barn doors off in the fourth with a six-run frame.  Mary Vandergriff (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and SieAnna Cameron (Friendsville, Tenn.) started the frame with a double to right and a single to center to give the Eagles runners on the corners before Cameron swiped second. 

Corbin cranked a double to score one before Sohm drove in a run with a slashing single to left. 

After a pitching change, Harris and Dye continued the merry-go-round with an RBI single to left and a SAC fly to center, respectively. 

Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) wrapped up the scoring in the frame with a two-run,  two-out double to left. 

Carson-Newman sent 10 to the plate in the inning and carried a 10-0 lead to the fifth. 

NicKolette Ferguson (Erwin, Tenn.) collected  the win in the circle to start her sophomore campaign 10-1.  She scattered five hits in a 3.0-inning start.  She walked  one and struck out one.

Syerra Rogers (Graysvillle, Tenn.) finished the game in the circle with 2.0-innings of hitless ball.  She struck out four and walked one. 

Rivers took the loss for FIT in a three-inning start.  She allowed three hits and four runs, two earned. 

Sohm tallied a three-hit day for the C-N offense.   Vandergriff and Cameron also had multi-hit days.  Harris was the only Eagle to drive in multiple runs. 

GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 12, Georgia College 4 (six innings)

Carson-Newman picked up where it left off in the night cap.  Sohm made it to first on an error with one out before moving to second on the throw. 

Harris plated her with a smash into right to give C-N a 1-0 lead three batters in.  Back-to-back-to-back base on balls to Dye, Holt and Warder loaded the bases with one out in the first before Warder earned her walk to score a run and give C-N an opening 2-0 lead. The Eagles would leave the bases loaded in the inning.  

The Eagles kept it rolling in the top of the second.  Corbin and Sohm both  tallied one-out singles to give C-N runners on the corners before Corbin raced home on a passed ball.  Then, Harris extended C-N's lead to 4-0 when she reached on a throwing error at third that allowed Sohm to come in. 

The Bobcats got a run back in the bottom of the second when a passed ball scored Shea Zweifel.  But  C-N would push back in front by four runs in the top of the fourth and then some with a five-run inning.  Sohm led off the inning with a walk before stealing second and moving to third when Harris reached on a fielder's choice. 

Dye singled her home.  Then Holt stretched the lead to six runs, 7-1, with a two-RBI  double to left.  An error and a Boo Sturgill (Wheelersburg, Ohio) RBI ground out extended the lead to run-rule territory, 9-1. 

Georgia College got an unearned run back in the bottom of the fourth on a ball that went through the wickets of Sohm at short allowing a runner to score from three bases away.  That brought the run-rule back off the table with a 9-2 score.

The Eagles stretched the lead out to  10 runs in the top of the sixth with an RBI triple from Sohm, an RBI groundout from Dye and an RBI single from Holt to set the margin at 12-2.

The Bobcats scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't further extend the game. 

Sara King (Cumming, Ga.) went the distance in the circle.  She only allowed four hits on the day and of the four runs scored against her, one was earned. 

Ledbetter took the loss for Georgia College in a 3.0-inning start.  She allowed five hits and seven runs, six of which were earned. 

Holt, Sohm and Cameron all had two-hit days, while Holt, Harris and Dye all drove in multiple runs. 

Carson-Newman returns to the field Sunday morning at 11 a.m. against Florida Tech.