GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman softball team split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with rival Tusculum on Tuesday afternoon, as the Lady Eagles dropped game one, 8-3, before rebounding to claim a 7-3 victory in the nightcap at Red Edmonds Field.

With the split, C-N is now 28-5 on the season and 7-3 in the conference. Tusculum moves to 12-16 overall and 3-7 in SAC play.

In game one, the Lady Eagles grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as Leah Price (Spring City, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch.

But Tusculum erupted for six two-out runs in the second to take control of the game. Savannah Ewing, Brittany Hunley and Phlyscia Powell each tallied RBI singles in the inning.

C-N produced just six hits in game one. Senior Sara Little (Calhoun, Ga.) went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to lead the way.

Ashley Burke and Powell collected two hits apiece to lead the Pioneers.

Lady Eagle starting pitcher Ashley Boyd (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was tagged with the loss. Boyd (16-2) surrendered five earned runs and three hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Tusculum starter Holli Cadenhead (6-7) worked all seven innings to earn the win, allowing two earned runs and six hits and striking out six.

In the second game, the Lady Eagles pounded out 13 hits en route to a 7-3 win.

Sophomore Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) tallied three hits to lead C-N. Shealy (9-3) also picked up the win in the circle as she gave up two earned runs and six hits in seven innings. She also had five walks and three strikeouts.

Little added two hits for C-N and drove in three runs, while senior Jessie Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Boyd produced two hits each.

Racheal Wilburn finished with two hits for Tusculum, while Shanda Kimbrough pitched in a two-run double.

Erin Searcy (4-7) picked up the loss for the Pioneers, lasting 4 1/3 innings while allowing seven runs.

Little delivered a run-scoring single in the first, and Sarah Humphries (Fayetteville, Tenn.) came through with a RBI single in the second, as the Lady Eagles built an early 2-0 lead.

C-N then pushed its lead to 6-0 in the fourth with a four-run outburst, highlighted by a two-run double by Little.

A RBI double by Whitney Durham (Rossville, Ga.) in the fifth gave C-N a 7-0 cushion.

Tusculum rallied for three runs in the sixth, including a two-run double by Kimbrough, but Shealy retired the final five batters to seal the win.

The Lady Eagles return to the diamond at home on Wednesday in a doubleheader with Limestone. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.