GREENWOOD, S.C. – Carson-Newman (3-1) lost on a walk-off grand slam and won a 10-inning thriller to split action on day one of the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational in Due West and Greenwood, S.C.
The Eagles faltered to start the day against fifth-ranked Young Harris (5-0) 13-9. C-N conceded a five-run lead, rallied from four down to tie the game in the top of the seventh only to lose on a walk-off grand slam.
In the nightcap, Carson-Newman again lost a lead. Erskine (0-5) rallied from a three-run deficit to force extra innings with a run in the bottom of the seventh. However, Carson-Newman prevailed thanks to a 10th-inning two-out, two-run double from Shannon Smith (Channon, Ill.), winning 5-4.
"We faced a really good Young Harris team, and in spite of playing a top-five team, I know we let one get away," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "Hats off to them for the comeback, but it's a game you hate to lose.
"(Erskine head coach) Alleen Hawkins always calls a good game against us and this was no different. I know it was a huge emotional swing the way we lost that first game so I am proud of the whole team effort to not give in and find a way to win. I can't say enough about the maturity of Shannon Smith. She was big for us in pivotal moments today."
Game one: #5 Young Harris 13, Carson-Newman 9
Carson-Newman pounced early with some timely knocks. The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the first without recording and out thanks to a double from Lacie Rinus and back-to-back walks for Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.).
Madelyn Gillett (Howell, Mich.) delivered the opening run of the contest with an RBI fielder's to short. After a strikeout, KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) delivered. The senior smashed a ball off the wall in right center to clear the bases and stake Carson-Newman to 4-0 lead after one.
The Eagles added to the advantage in the top of the third. Keeley Quillen (Gate City, Va.) sent a 2-2, two-out pitch over the wall in left to stretch the edge to 5-0.
Young Harris would respond immediately by scoring the next nine.
The Mountain Lions started the rally in the bottom of the third. After a single and a double with one out, Hayley Shope delivered with a single back up the box to cut the deficit to four.
Young Harris then got it all back and then some in the bottom of the fifth.
The Mountain Lions started the inning with back-to-back singles. That set the stage for Carly Rigsbee, she drove in one with a double to left, then Shope pulled the Mountain Lions within two with a sacrifice fly to center.
Young Harris completed the comeback and made it a five-run fifth with a three-run home run to left from Michalyn Bingham.
The Mountain Lions would add three more in the sixth with a bases loaded walk to Rigsbee and a two-out two-run single to left from Bingham to stake the Mountain Lions to a 9-5 advantage.
It wouldn't last long. The Eagles rallied to level things up in the top of the seventh. A walk, a strike out and a double from Gillett gave the Eagles a pair of runners in scoring position.
That set the table for Quillen, who ranked her second dinger of the day over the wall in left to pull C-N within one. Levi went back-to-back with her, jacking one to center to level things up at nine.
However, the Eagles were unable to for extras though as the Mountain Lions walked it off in the bottom of the seventh. Makayla McCarthy got back-to-back Ks to start the inning before Young Harris loaded the bases with two out with a single, a walk and a hit batter.
Shope ended it with a grand slam to left center field.
McCarthy took the loss to start the year 0-1.
Green got the win in relief for the Mountain Lions, giving up a run in 0.2 innings of work to improve to 2-0.
The loss spoiled a pair of four-RBI days from Levi and Quillen. Both players tallied two-hit days as well.
Shope went 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in six.
The loss halted Carson-Newman's 18-game non-conference win streak. The Mountain Lions were the last non-SAC team to beat the Eagles, doing so 8-0 in late April 2018.
Game two: Carson-Newman 5, Erskine 4 (10 innings)
Carson-Newman scored in each of the first three frames with single tallies in each.
In the first, Carson-Newman loaded the bases with two out thanks to a pair of walks and a hit batter. Gillett then worked a base on balls to push C-N in front 1-0.
The run in the second came after back-to-back one out hits from Sohm and Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.). Sohm singled to third, before Smith doubled to left to give the Eagles a pair of runners in scoring position. Rinus delivered a knock to center to plate Sohm and push the edge to 2-0. Carson-Newman couldn't keep the party going as Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) grounded into an inning ending double play.
The Eagles produced their third run of the day on a McCarthy sacrifice fly. The Eagles loaded the bases with one out off of a Levi single, a walk to Gillett and a dropped fly ball for Caldwell. McCarthy powered a deep fly ball to left to allow Levi to tag up and score to go ahead 3-0.
Erskine chipped into the deficit in the sixth. The Fleet loaded the bases with one out with back-to-back walks that chased McCarthy from the circle and a fielding error on Rinus once she entered.
Faith Belue took advantage, singling in a run on an infield squibber. After Rinus induced a pop up back to the circle Sydney McInnis drove a pinch-hit single to left, that brought the Fleet within a run. Erskine went for the tie, but Fiessinger threw a dime to catch the tying run at the plate.
C-N couldn't add insurance after a pair of singles in the seventh, and Erskine made the Eagles pay for the lack of a timely hit.
The Fleet was down to its final out when Allison Neeley legged out a third infield single for the Fleet. Parker Birch hit a ball back to the circle, but Rinus' throw was airmailed and Neeley scored from three bases away to tie things up and send the game to extra innings.
The teams swapped scoreless frames the first two extra innings, before the Eagles got a timely two-out hit in the 10th. With the international-rule runner Madison Mathis (Chattanooga, Tenn.) placed on second, C-N failed to advance her initially with a pop up and a punchout.
Sohm was able to drop down a two-out infield single to move Mathis over to third. That set the table for Smith. She roped the first pitch she got into left to clear the bases and put the Eagles up 5-3.
Carson-Newman would concede a run in the bottom of the 10th to the international rule runner, but a groundout to the circle ended the wild affair.
Rinus got the win in 4.2 innings in relief to improve to 2-0 on the year. Neither of the two runs she allowed were earned. Hannah Houge took the loss for Erskine. She pitched the final six innings, giving up just four hits and two runs. She struck out eight in dropping to 0-3.
Smith went 3-for-6 with two RBI for the Eagles. Fiessinger also tallied a three-hit day. That pair had more than half of the Eagles' hits.
Carson-Newman was 5-for-28 at the plate across the two games with runners in scoring position.
The Eagles' wrap up play at the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational Saturday starting with a 9 a.m. first pitch against King in Greenwood.
