ALBERTVILLE, Ala. – Carson-Newman (6-2) walked it off on a two-out SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) single in the night cap against Mississippi College (2-3) to headline a wild first day at the Charger Chillout Friday at Sand Mountain Park.
Cameron's walk-off winner in the 10th inning was the highlight of the day, and the only time the Eagles led through its two games – 9-8 over the Choctaws.
The highlight obfuscated a frustrating game one that saw the Eagles score twice in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings against Southern Indiana (1-1), only for the Screaming Eagles to plate six runs, only one earned, in the top of the eighth to leave no doubt in a 9-3, eight-inning win over Carson-Newman.
"This was a highly emotional day," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "On one hand, we had numerous opportunities to win both games in regulation and didn't capitalize. On the other hand, I am extremely proud at the way they came back in the second game and battled against a very good team. That is a big win for our club."
The win over Mississippi College comes over a program that made last year's South Regional and without Sara King (Cumming, Ga.).
The Eagles starting pitcher exited in the third inning after taking a line drive to the foot. Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) entered and fired 7.2 innings in relief while striking out six to log her first career.
"Sara took a shot to the ankle and we had to put Syerra back in," Graves said. "That kid played her tail off all day. She didn't play like a freshman."
Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.) saw a career-best eight-game hitting streak come to an end against Southern Indiana, but rebounded in the night cap with a four-hit day.
Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) was 4-for-7 at the plate with two RBI, while Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) went 3-for-9 and drove in five runs.
GAME ONE: Southern Indiana 9, Carson-Newman 3 (eight innings)
Southern Indiana struck first in the top of the third with a two-out rally. After a pop up and a punch out put two outs on the board, Nalley yanked a triple down the left field line before Martinez brought her in with a double to left. Rager capped the rally with a two-out single to right to give the Screaming Eagles a 2-0 lead.
Carson-Newman got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) ripped an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left to lead off the inning to pull C-N within a run, 2-1.
Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) had a two-out triple in the inning, but C-N couldn't keep the rally rolling. Emily Harris (Cumming, Ga.) also smoked a two-out double an inning later, but once again, the Eagles couldn't collect a timely two-out hit to level things up.
Southern Indiana added to its lead in the top off the seventh with three straight two-out singles to score a run off a Rager knock to center.
However, Carson-Newman would rally in the bottom of the seventh.
The Eagles loaded the bases with singles to left and right from SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) and Natalie Corbin (Tybee Island, Ga.), as well as a bunt-single to third from Harris.
A base-running miscue erased a run at the plate before Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) tied the game with a base-hit to right.
However, defensive issues cost the Eagles mightily in the top of the eighth. Carson-Newman made two errors and allowed three hits leading to a six run frame for the Screaming Eagles. Of the six runs scored, five were unearned.
Carson-Newman went down in order in the bottom of the eighth to end the game.
Haley Gotshell got the win in relief for USI to go to 1-0 on the year. NicKollette Ferguson (Erwin, Tenn.) was handed the loss in relief. She fired 2.2 innings. She gave up seven runs, but only one was earned.
Rogers started for C-N and went 5.1 innings before walking five and striking out six.
Carson-Newman was 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position, while USI hit 6-of-14 with runners on second or third.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 9, Mississippi College 8 (10 innings)
Carson-Newman once again found itself behind early. In the top of the second, Eaton laced a one-out triple to right center and scored two batters later, Little singled through the left side to give the Choctaws a 1-0 lead.
MC added to its lead in the third with the long ball. After starting pitcher Sara King (Cumming, Ga.) got knocked out of the game after taking a line drive of her foot, Peavy and Lee homered in a span of three at-bats with a two-run and solo blast, respectively.
Carson-Newman got the majority of it back in the bottom half of the third. Cameron nipped an infield to short, Sohm singled up the middle and Harris laid down a bunt single back to the pitcher to load the base with one out. Dye smashed a double to right center to clear the bases and bring Carson-Newman within a run, 4-3 after three.
The Eagles drew level with the Choctaws in the bottom of the fifth. Sohm led off the inning with a single up the box, stole second and took third on a throwing error. Harris drove her home with a sacrifice fly to tie it at 5-5.
The tie would be short-lived. Eaton clobbered a one-out home run off a 1-1 pitch in the top of the sixth to ut the Choctaws back in front 6-5.
Carson-Newman forced extra innings in the bottom of the seven. Sohm tripled to left center with one out. Harris wasted zero time in plating her with a single down the left field line. However, C-N would leave Harris stranded at second to send the game to the eighth.
The Choctaws scored twice in the top of the eighth thanks to Little, who drove in two runs with a triple down the left field line.
Carson-Newman tied the game in the bottom of the eighth in unconventional fashion. Carson-Newman got two runners in scoring position thanks to the international rule runner Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) and a Rogers double. After a line out, Hughes raced home on a wild pitch. Following a groundout that moved Rogers to third, the freshman helped out her own cause by also sprinting home on a wild pitch. The Eagles left the winning run in scoring position after a pair of two-out singles.
Small-ball tactics worked for the Choctaws to manufacture a run in the ninth. A sacrifice bunt moved the international-rule runner to third before a Minor bunt single back to the circle gave the Choctaws the lead.
However, once more, C-N countered. With Sohm placed on second, Harris hit a ball to short. A botched throw not only allowed Sohm to take third, but also score. C-N missed out on ending the game in the ninth, after Harris stole second with no one out, the Choctaws got a ground out and two strikeouts to end the threat.
C-N put itself in position to win it in the 10th. Cameron and Sohm doubled up the Choctaws' international-rule runner off a fly out to help keep MC scoreless.
In the home half, Mary Vandergriff (Chattanooga, Tenn.) executed a sacrifice bunt to put the international-rule runner Rogers on third. After a fly out, Cameron slashed her single down the left field line to give the Eagles the walk-off win.
Rogers got the win in relief. She pitched 7.2 innings and used 117 pitches to strike out eight and walk three. She gave up six hits and six runs, four earned.
Avery Sanders took the loss for the Choctaws to fall to 1-2. She fired the final 3.2 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, all earned.
At 3:05, it registers as the fourth game longer than three hours for C-N in the last 15 years. It's also the fifth 10-inning game C-N has played in that span, and the first since a 5-4 win in 10 over Erskine on Valentine's Day 2020.
Carson-Newman plays two Saturday against Shorter at 11 a.m. and Delta State at 3:30 p.m. on day two of the Charger Chillout.
