HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Carson-Newman (31-13, 11-9 South Atlantic Conference) pounded out 25 hits and scored 17 run in taking both legs of a doubleheader at Coker (15-29, 5-17 SAC) Tuesday afternoon at Saleeby-Stokes Field.
Carson-Newman held on for a 6-5 win in game one before tallying an 11-2 run-rule win in five innings in the night cap.
"Man, does it feel good to win two on the road," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "I Thought we played really well offensively and defensively. Natalie had a great day in the outfield. As the doubleheader wore on we really started taking some great swings. I sound like a broken record but if we will cut down free passes, we are tough to beat. Overall, I am really proud of them. We have got big opportunities the rest of the week so we are going to go give them what we've got."
Carson-Newman's road sweep is its first since taking two at Catawba on March 19. The Eagles socked a season-high four home runs in the nightcap.
Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) and SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) were both 5-of-7 for the doubleheader. Dye drove in two runs, while Cameron drove in a team-best three.
Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) joined Dye and Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) as Eagles with multiple home runs in a game this year.
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 6, Coker 5
Carson-Newman scored the game's first runs in the second. Carmen Holt (Harrodsburg, Ky.) led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Mary Vandergriff (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) sacrifice. After a fly out to right, SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) stung a single to center to drive in the first run.
After Natalie Corbin (Tybee Island, Ga.) got plunked, Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) lopped a double to left to score another run.
C-N produced one more in the frame. With two in scoring position, Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) hit a ground ball to third that ate up the Cobras' third baseman. Harris reached on an E5. However, Sohm was all the way to third with Corbin holding forcing Corbin to run home. She dodged a tag to score an unearned run and give C-N a 3-0 lead.
Coker immediately answered in the bottom of the frame. A pair of walks and a double loaded the bases with an out on the board.
A fielder's choice on a throwing error to the plate brought across an unearned run before another fielder's choice got a run at the plate to put two outs on the board. Ava Jay then worked a bases-loaded walk to pull the Cobras within a run.
The Eagles pushed across a single run in the fifth. Harris led off the inning with a double and stole third with one out. She scored when Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) hit a ground ball to third that kicked off a rock and spun deep into the hole at short for an RBI infield single.
C-N stretched it to a three-run game in the sixth. A Mary Vandergriff single and a sacrifice gave C-N a runner in scoring position. Corbin blooped a single to left to plate the sophomore and give the Eagles a 5-2 edge.
The Orange and Blue took it to a four-run game in the top of the seventh with another two-out knock. Singles from Dye and Vandergriff, plus a dropped third strike on a passed ball to Warder loaded the bases with two out. Cameron came through with her second two-out RBI of the game to stretch the lead to 6-2.
Second two-out RBI of the day for SieAnna Cameron off a little Baltimore Chop.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) April 19, 2022
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That run would prove pivotal. Ariana Fair blasted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right for a three-run home run to set the final margin at 6-5.
Sara King (Cumming, Ga.) got a ground out, a line out and a ground out to quelch the rally and preserve the 6-5 win.
King got the win in relief after starter Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) failed to hit the pitching minimum of four innings to qualify for the W.
King improved to 16-7 in 5.1 innings of relief work. She gave up five hits and three runs, all earned, while walking one and striking out three. Rogers pitched the first 1.2 innings. She gave up a hit and two runs, both unearned. Rogers issued three free passes.
Callie Thornton took the loss for Coker to drop to 8-11 in a 5.1-inning start. She gave up nine hits and five runs, four earned.
Cameron tallied a three-hit day, one of five multi-hit performances in game one for the Eagles.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 11, Coker 2 (five innings)
It would be Coker who struck first in the night cap. The Cobras bounced out to a 1-0 lead in the first thanks to a one-out walk to Fair. She moved to second on a diving grab for an out in right before scoring on a two-out RBI single through the left side from Kayla Oswell.
The Eagles answered with the long ball in the top of the second. Dye looped a one-out double to right. After a ground out to short, Vandergriff clobbered a 2-2 pitch down the left field line to put C-N in front.
Rogers kept the party rolling by going back-to-back. Her third home run of the season put the Eagles ahead 3-1.
SEE YA. @haydendye4 cranks the third home run of the game for C-N.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) April 19, 2022
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The back-to-back home runs were the first for C-N this season and the first time it has occurred since Shannon Smith and KaraLynne Levi went back-to-back at UVA Wise on March 16, 2021.
C-N played add on in the top of the third. The Eagles started the frame with back-to-back bunt singles from Corbin and Sohm. The pair pulled off a double steal of second and third when a throwing error behind the plate allowed Corbin to race home. Harris then sacrifice Sohm over to third before Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) drove her home with a sacrifice fly to right.
Dye capped a second consecutive three-run frame with a two-out home run, her sixth of the year, opposite field to right center to get the Eagles a 6-1 lead.
Bailey Douglas led off the bottom of the third with a solo blast to get the deficit to five, but C-N continued to keep the pedal down in the top of the fourth.
Both Vandergriff and Rogers reached on errors to start the inning, with Rogers' sacrifice bunt attempt resulting in a throwing error that brought Vandergriff around.
Cameron caromed a double off the wall in left center to plate Rogers before she scored on a Sohm bloop single to left.
Sohm stole second and third before scoring on a passed ball to give the Eagles a 10-2 edge.
Way back and outta here. @syerra_rogers goes yard for the second time today.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) April 19, 2022
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Rogers set the final margin at 11-2 with a solo blast in the fifth.
Rogers logged the win in the nightcap to improve to 9-5. She walked four and struck out four.
Isabellle Mullen took the loss to fall to 2-5. She pitched the first 2.2 innings, giving up six hits and six runs, all earned.
Carson-Newman returns home Thursday to play a doubleheader with No. 13 Anderson at 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network will be available at cneagles.com/live.
