LAURINBURG, N.C. – The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles outhit St. Andrews College, 23-8, en route to sweeping their season-opening doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. C-N rallied to win the opener, 7-6, in eight innings before rolling the Knight, 10-2, in five innings in game two.
Senior Mary Shealy started both games for the Lady Eagles, shaking off a poor outing in game one to shut down the Knight with a one-hitter in game two.
Carson-Newman 7, St. Andrews 6 (8 innings)
Second baseman Sara Kelley singled home Mary Shealy in the top of the eighth inning to give C-N a 7-6 win in the opener.
Shealy scored after the being placed on second under tiebreaking rules, then closed out the game with her sixth strikeout of the game to lead the Lady Eagles.
Carson-Newman freshman Bethany Davis hit a solo home run to lead off a four-run sixth inning as the Lady Eagles rallied from an early 3-0 deficit for the extra inning win. Kelley added three hits in the win, including an RBI single in the rally. C-N took advantage of a Knights' error in the inning to plate a pair of unearned runs.
Shealy struggled in her first start of the season, walking eight, but scored twice to help her own cause.
Davis added a 2-for-4 day for C-N and had two RBIs.
Carson-Newman 10, St. Andrews 2 (5 innings)
Shealy bounced back with a four-strikeout, one-hitter and the Lady Eagles pounded St. Andrews for seven first-inning runs as Carson-Newman cruised to a five inning win, 10-2, in game two.
The first three Lady Eagles to bat in the game singled as C-N put together six hits in the opening frame to put the game away early.
Freshman Jessica Morgan went 3-for-3 for the Lady Eagles in her first start in the leadoff spot. She had a two-run single in the first to spark the Lady Eagles to the early 7-0 lead.
Senior Kim Whaley followed with a leadoff double in the third to start another big inning for C-N. Cassie Elliott and Shelby Robertson each had RBI singles in the inning as C-N built its lead to 10-0.
Elliott finished 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored, while Robertson would go 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
The Lady Eagles first two batters, Morgan and Robertson, combined to go 6-for-7 with four RBIs.
Carson-Newman hosts Bellarmine in its home opener on Sunday afternoon. First pitch of the doubleheader is at 1 p.m.
