VIDEO: Michael Graves Press Conference
HICKORY, N.C. – Carson-Newman (35-18) had a runner on second base four times, but never could get a timely knock to drive in runs in a 3-1 loss to seventh-seeded Wingate (36-17) Friday afternoon at Bears Field in the 2022 NCAA Southeast Regional.
The loss ends Carson-Newman's season while moving Wingate on in the regional for another elimination game Friday evening against Lenoir-Rhyne.
Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) and Morgen Baker-Celis kept Wingate batters off balance for much of the game, but the Bulldogs were able to take advantage of one of their eight opportunities with runners in scoring position to break open the game. Meanwhile, C-N was 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
"I thought we played a good game, especially our pitching staff," "Syerra did a great job. Morgen got hurt yesterday and we weren't even sure if she would be able to go today, and if she did, we knew we wouldn't have her for big innings. I'm proud of the girls and you hate to lose this one. It's tough to beat a team four times in one year. That was two teams competing against one another today."
Carson-Newman drew first blood in the top of the second. Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) and Mary Vandergriff (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) got aboard with a single through the left side and a double down the left field line, respectively. The back-to-back knocks gave C-N two in scoring position with no one out.
Carmen Holt (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to left.
Wingate answered in the bottom of the third. Ragan Liles singled up the middle to lead off then inning and then took second on a sacrifice bunt attempt. She moved to third on a ground out from Sara Stroud and scored when a throw to third got away from Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.). Stroud would have scored naturally when Sydney Kale singled in the next at-bat.
The Bulldogs snapped in front in the bottom of the fifth. Liles got plunked to lead off the inning before Heaven Maness singled up the middle. After a one-out walk loaded the bases, Laney McLaurin slashed a single into right to plate two runs to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead.
The Eagles caught the tying run to the plate in the seventh after Dye led off the inning with a double, but a strikeout, groundout and fly out ended the Eagles' chances.
Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) and Vandergriff combined for three doubles on the day. Dye tallied a multi-hit effort with her two, two-baggers.
Rogers took the loss for C-N. She pitched 4.1 innings giving up six hits and three runs, all earned, while walking one and hitting one.
Baker-Celis finished the game with 1.2 innings of work. She gave up three hits.
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