LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Carson-Newman softball team opened the 2011 season on Sunday afternoon with a split at Bellarmine.

The Lady Eagles (1-1) dropped a 2-0 decision in the first game to the Knights (1-1) before holding off a late rally by Bellarmine to claim game two, 5-4, at Knights Field.

In the first game, Bellarmine's Cynthia Brown and Casey Cleary each had a RBI single in the second inning to lift the Knights to a 2-0 victory.

Knights starting pitcher Casey Willard (1-0) earned the shutout win after working all seven innings, giving up just four hits and striking out five.

C-N junior Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) was tagged with the loss after surrendering two runs on seven hits in six innings in the circle. She also had five strikeouts.

Senior Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.) had a double to lead the Lady Eagles.

Bellarmine collected seven hits for the game, including a double by Jordan Basham.

In the second game, the Lady Eagles jumped out to a 5-1 lead and held off a seventh-inning rally by the Knights to escape with a 5-4 win.

C-N took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and pushed it to 2-0 in the fifth, as sophomore Ashley Tharp (Morristown, Tenn.) drove in Caitlyn Lance (East Ridge, Tenn.) with a fielder choice.

After Bellarmine pulled to within 2-1 in the home half of the fifth, C-N answered with a three-run sixth to extend its lead to 5-1, highlighted by back-to-back solo home runs by Shealy and Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.).

But the Knights refused to go quietly, as Casey Melton delivered a two-run double and Angel Zimmerman scored on a sacrifice fly by Erin Sireno to trim C-N's lead to 5-4 in the seventh. However, Shealy was able to get Lauren Summe to ground out to seal the win.

Freshman Jessie Forrester (Flintstone, Ga.) (1-0) gave up four runs on five hits in six innings of work to earn the win.

Bellarmine starter Amanda Myer (0-1) was hit with the loss after giving up four runs and eight hits in five innings in the circle.

The Lady Eagles tallied 11 hits for the game, including three by Shoemake. Leah Price (Spring City, Tenn.), Shealy and Lance produced two hits each.

C-N returns to action at home on Tuesday in a doubleheader against Lees-McRae. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.