HARROGATE, Tenn. – Lincoln Memorial (35-18) scored seven times in the final two innings to rally from a four-run deficit and top Carson-Newman (35-16) 9-7 in the SAC title game Saturday evening at Dorothy Neely Field.
The tournament crown is the first for Lincoln Memorial and denied Carson-Newman its league-record 12th.
The Railsplitters handed the Eagles a 10th consecutive loss in their 64-game series history.
The loss spoiled a remarkable tournament for senior pitcher Morgen Baker-Celis (Kentfield, Calif.). Baker-Celis hurled 279 pitches between the three games over two days. She took her second loss of the year after surrendering eight hits and seven runs, four earned in five innings of relief.
"Mac did a great job all day and got us playable balls," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "We made a couple mistakes defensively that didn't help us but I am proud of our effort this weekend. We need to rest up a few days and then get back at it while awaiting our tournament destination."
Carson-Newman used quintessential small-ball tactics to grab a lead in the top of the first. Natalie Corbin (Tybee Island, Ga.) walked to lead off the game before taking second on a sacrifice bunt. Corbin swiped third before Emily Harris drove her home with a sacrifice fly to left.
The lead would be short-lived as Lincoln Memorial countered with a two-run bottom of the first. Grace Cochran walked and Sierra Hucklebee rapped a base-hit through the left sided to give the Railsplitters runners on the corners.
Emma Webb tied it with a rip through the right side before Kelsey Tuggle put the Railsplitters on top with a single to left.
The see-saw tilted back in the Eagles' favor in the top of the third. A single and a fielder's choice gave the Eagles two base runners before Syerra Rogers (Graysvillle, Tenn.) reached on a fielding error at short. With the bases loaded, SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) bounced a grounder to short. Hucklebee came to the plate, but a high throw brought the catcher off the bag and allowed the Eagles to tie score.
Corbin followed with an infield single to second to put the Eagles in front 3-2.
Carson-Newman played add on in the top of the third. Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) led off the inning with an infield single to third. Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) moved her to second with a ground out. Carmen Holt (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) produced a timely-two out hit with a slash to center to plate Hughes and give C-N a two-run, 4-2 lead.
The Eagles used timely two-out hitting to extend the lead in the fifth. Holt nipped a single to left to set the table for Rogers, who clobbered a pitch to left center and out of the park to stretch the lead to 6-2.
The Railsplitters got it all back in the bottom of the fifth with the aid of two C-N errors. LMU plated four runs of four hits and the two C-N miscues. Three of the four runs were unearned.
Webb pulled LMU within a run with a sacrifice fly into foul ground in left before Henry tied it with an RBI single to right.
C-N regained the lead in the top of the sixth. Sohm bashed a triple to left center field and scored a pitch later off a Harris RBI double. The extra-base knock gave C-N a 7-6 cushion.
The Railsplitters answered in the bottom of the sixth. Three straight infield singles brought across the tying run with one out. Grace Cochran delivered a bunt single past the circle to plate the tying run. Hucklebee put LMU back on top with a two-run double.
The Eagles got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but never could keep the line moving with a timely hit. The game ended with a degree of frustration for Carson-Newman. Corbin was called out at first to finish the game on a play where Corbin appeared to beat the throw.
Emma Frost got the win in relief for the Railsplitters. She pitched the final 2.1 innings, surrendering three hits and a run.
Harris, Sohm and Holt all had multi-hit days for Carson-Newman. Harris now sits at 83 hits for the season, the fifth most in program history. Sohm is up to 76 hits for the season, the sixth most in program history.
Carson-Newman will await its NCAA regional fate with a selection show on May 9 at 10 a.m.
