VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Mars Hill Highlights
VIDEO: Mary Vandergriff Interview
VIDEO: Sara King Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Mary Vandergriff hit a lead-off, walk-off home run to secure a game two win and help Carson-Newman (21-3, 2-0 South Atlantic Conference) to a doubleheader sweep of Mars Hill (3-11, 0-2 SAC) Thursday afternoon at the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex.
Carson-Newman won game one 7-0 behind a 10-strikeout, complete-game, two-hit shutout performance from Sara King (Cumming, Ga.) in the circle before Vandergriff's late-inning dramatics secured a 6-5 win in the night cap. The dinger capped a see-saw battle that saw C-N lose a three-run lead early only to win its third game of the year in walk-off fashion. Carson-Newman left 11 runners on base in the night cap and hit 2-for-11 (.182) with runners in scoring position.
"This team is the best team I've ever seen at winning ugly ball games," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "I didn't feel like we were going to lose game two, but I was frustrated with the process that got us there. We left way too many people on base and did not take advantage of situations that we've been good at for 20 ball games."
King's 10-strikeout day marked the first double-digit punchout performance by a C-N pitcher since Morgen Baker-Celis (Kentfield, Calif.) fanned 10 Bulldogs in a game on March 27, 2021.
"Sara is a capable pitcher," Graves said. "Today is the Sara that we've grown accustomed to seeing. I thought Syerra had a good start and she'll still need to work on cutting down on the walks, but I thought we pitched the ball well today."
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 7, Mars Hill 0
Carson-Newman wasted no time in snagging an early lead. Natalie Corbin (Tybee Island, Ga.) and Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) got into scoring position after a double, a walk, a wild pitch and a stolen base.
Back-to-back RBI groundouts from Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) and Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) put the Eagles up 2-0. After a pair of walks, Kennady Warder (Harrodsburg, Ky.) lofted a triple to left to score two runs and put the Eagles up 4-0 after one.
Carson-Newman padded its lead in the second again thanks to Corbin and Sohm scoring. The duo got on with a single and walk and scored when Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) grooved a double to left center to put the Eagles ahead 6-0 after two.
Mary Vandergriff (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) delivered an RBI single down the left field line to give C-N a 7-0 lead after three.
Sara King (Cumming, Ga.) logged the first complete game shutout of the season for the Eagles and the first since April 7, 2021. She fanned a career-high 10 batters while only walking one. She only gave up two hits on the day. The double-digit punchouts are the first by an Eagle pitcher since March 27, 2021.
King improved to 11-1 with the win.
Marissa Adame took the loss in a 3.0-inning start. She gave up seven hits and seven runs, all earned. She walked five but didn't strike out anyone.
.@mevandy7 called game
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) March 3, 2022
�� @cnsball 6
�� @mhulions 5
FINAL pic.twitter.com/kCyZOVUmGs
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 6, Mars Hill 5
Carson-Newman once again struck early in game two. Corbin and Sohm led off the inning with a HBP and a walk. The pair moved into scoring position on a Harris sacrifice bunt and scored on a bouncing ball through the right side from Hayden Dye.
Two batters later, Carmen Holt squeezed a triple inside the first base bag and into the right field corner. That knock plated Dye and gave C-N a 3-0 lead after one.
Mars Hill countered in the top of the second when Maggie Langheim logged her first hit of the season, a moonshot that was tattooed onto the soccer field behind the fence in left center. However, Mars hill couldn't continue the power hitting and Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) retired the Lions in order after for a 3-1 C-N lead after 1.5 innings.
The Lions took the lead in the top of the fourth. Peyton Duba doubled in a run down the left field line before a dropped pop up in right plated the tying and go ahead runs for the Lions to give MHU a 4-3 through 3.5 innings.
Carson-Newman got back in front in the bottom of the fifth. Two walks and a Holt single loaded the bases. SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) knocked a ground rule double that bounced over the wall in left center to score two and give Carson-Newman a 5-4 lead.
Mars Hill leveled it up in the top of the sixth thanks to a sacrifice fly to right thanks to Mykayla King. The soft fly carried Harris into the outfield and her throw to the plate was up the line to bring in the tying run.
Vandergriff slugged her second career home run to lead off the seventh and erase any doubt of the game going to extra innings.
King got the win in relief. She dealt the final 2.2 innings, giving up a hit and an earned run while striking out three.
Adame took the loss to fall to 1-6 in relief. She worked the final 1.1 innings. She gave up two hits, one of which was Vandergriff's home run.
Carson-Newman hits the road next Wednesday to continue league play at Coker
