HARROGATE, Tenn. – No. 21 Carson-Newman (25-9, 6-6 South Atlantic Conference) had the tying run on base late in both games of a doubleheader with No. 18 Lincoln Memorial (29-7, 10-2 SAC), but never could come through with a timely knock as the Railsplitters won twice Wednesday at Dorothy Neely Field.
LMU won game one 2-0 to hand C-N its first shut out of the season before rallying for a 9-6 win in the night cap.
"Two very talented teams played today," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. " (LMU starters) Emma (Frost) is a great pitcher and did a good job. I thought Sara King had a really good day in the circle for us. She gave us a chance in both games. Nicko (Ferguson) came in and held them when Sara got a little tired.
"I think the difference in these games today were pitch selection and base running mistakes. They were better than us in both areas. We continue to talk about the importance of discipline at the plate. When we get that discipline conquered, it will be a long day for opposing teams. If we continue to take good pitches and chase out of the zone it's going to continue to be harder to win games against good teams."
The Railsplitters have won 10 straight games this season and nine straight against Carson-Newman. The nine-game win streak against the Eagles is the longest by a South Atlantic Conference foe all-time.
GAME ONE: No. 18 Lincoln Memorial 2, No. 21 Carson-Newman 0
After leaving multiple base runners stranded in the first, third and fourth innings, LMU came through with a timely hit in the fifth.
LMU got in business with a one-out Kelsie Tuggle double to left center. After a pop up, Emma Webb bounced a single through the heart of the infield with two out to plate Tuggle and give LMU a 1-0 lead.
The Railsplitters added an insurance run in the sixth. After a hit batter and a walk, Mackenzie Henry reached on a throwing error at second that allowed Bella Buccellato to race home for an unearned run that gave LMU a 2-0 lead.
Carson-Newman brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh. Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) reached on a bloop single to left and moved to second on an Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) sacrifice.
A line drive foul out and a strike out ended the Eagles' threat.
Emma Frost logged the win for the Railsplitters. She dealt the two-hit shutout, striking out nine. Frost didn't allow a free pass in improving to 16-3.
Sara King (Cumming, Ga.) took the loss to drop to 13-5. She walked four and fanned three while scattering five hits.
GAME TWO: No. 18 Lincoln Memorial 9, No. 21 Carson-Newman 6
The Eagles grabbed a lead early. Natalie Corbin (Tybee Island, Ga.) doubled to lead off the game and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sohm. Harris drove her in with a squeeze bunt before Harris scored on a Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) base hit back up the box.
The lead would be short-lived. A single and a walk set the table for Sierra Hucklebee who slashed a single up the middle to score one. After a fielder's choice loaded the bases, Henry got plunked to tie the game. Katie Tuggle pushed the Railsplitters in front with a sacrifice fly before a wild pitched scored Webb to set the Railsplitters up 4-2 after one.
The Eagles retook the lead with timely two-out hitting in the second. Boo Sturgill (Wheelersburg, Ohio) led off the frame with a single. After a strikeout and a line out, the Eagles loaded the bases with two away with a Sohm single and a Harris walk. Dye delivered a run with a bouncer back up the box before Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) scortched a single through the right side to give the Eagles a 5-4 edge.
Once again, LMU countered in the bottom of the inning. Kelsie Tuggle tanked a pitch to left to drive in three and give LMU a 7-5 edge after two.
The Eagles got a run back in the fifth. Sturgill led off the inning with a single to right then scored from three bases away on a sinking line drive double to left from Kennady Warder (Harrodsburg, Ky.) Carson-Newman would load the bases in the inning, but a line drive double play ended C-N's threat.
LMU played add on with a two-run bottom of the fifth. Haskins and blake both tallied RBI singles to stretch it to a three-run game, 9-6.
The Eagles had runners on second and third with no one out in the sixth, and the bases loaded with no one out in the seventh, but never could come through with the timely lick.
Haley Tamaro logged the win to stay perfect at 7-0. She pitched the first four innings, surrendering 11 hits and all six runs. Frost collected her first save of the year pitching the final inning and striking out two.
King took the loss in relief for C-N to fall to 13-6. She pitched 4.1 innings allowing seven hits and five runs, all earned.
Corbin and Sohm both logged three-hit days In the night cap.
Carson-Newman returns home Saturday to face Wingate at noon. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network will be available at cneagles.com/live.
