VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Sieanna Cameron Interview
VIDEO: Mary Vandergriff Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – In a surprise doubleheader, Carson-Newman softball (4-0) battled through adversity to comeback and secure two wins over Emmanuel (0-2) Saturday at the Vick, winning 8-5 in game one, and 7-6 in game two.
"I'm proud, the girls came back good there in the last game, I said in between games I'd much rather win four ugly games than lose four pretty games," Carson-Newman softball head coach Michael Graves said. "We've started out quick in three of the four games, not so much in the last one, but we've started out quick in the first innings and then go through a lull in the next several innings and that is something we need to fix. Pitching picked us up Wednesday, today we were better with the bats."
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 8, Emmanuel 5
Carson-Newman struck first in a big way. SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) and Lilly Holston (Powell, Tenn.) started off the inning with a single slashed up the middle and a hit by pitch. Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) took advantage with a single smashed up the middle to plate Cameron.
After Hughes stole second, Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) skied a ball down the right field line. Holston tagged and scored to give C-N a 2-0 cushion.
The Eagles built the lead to four thanks to aggressive base running. Dye and Hughes pulled off a double steal for Hughes to score. Then Dye came home on a passed ball.
Emmanuel got a couple runs back in the third. A walk and a fielder's choice gave the Lions a couple of base runners before a passed ball moved the pair into scoring position.
Ellee Varner ripped a single through the left side to plate one. The Lions had appeared to score another on a sacrifice fly, but the lead runner Gabby Buffington had left early to put a second out on the board. However, the Lions would recenter and get a sacrifice fly from Kyra Cheney to cut the deficit to 4-2 through 2.5 innings.
Emmanuel took the lead with a two-out rally in the fifth. A Cheney single to center, a walk to Alyssa Adams and a hit batter for Kinsley Goolsby loaded the bases for Emmanuel. A wild pitch scored Cheney before Jaryn Gibson drove in two to give the Lions the lead with a single through the left side.
Carson-Newman answered in the bottom of the fifth. Bailey led of the frame with a single through the right side before Dye drover her home with a triple. After a fielder's choice, by Vandergriff to score Dye the Eagles regained the lead at 6-5. Next batter Abbi Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) reached first on a throwing error by the pitcher, scoring Rogers to swell the lead to 7-5. C-N picked up an extra insurance run in the 6th as Vandergriff drew a walk to score Hughes.
Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) picked up the win in relief, pitching 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits, zero runs while striking out two.
GAME TWO: Carson Newman 7, Emmanuel 6
The script changed in game two, as Emmanuel was able to build the early lead. Gibson doubled to left field to score Adams and Chesney to give the Lions a 2-0 lead after 1.
The Lions added onto their lead in the 3rd, rbi singles by Goolsby and Gibson extended the lead to 4-0.
C-N had a response in the bottom half of the inning. Bailey drew a five pitch walk to score Cameron to make it 4-1. The next batter was Dye who hit a ground ball to short, but the throw home was not in time, as Mari Robbins scored to cut the deficit to two. Matasovsky followed with a sac fly to right scoring Hughes and the Eagles struck for three in the third.
The Eagles were able to tie the game the next time they came to the plate. Mary Vandergriff (Soddy Daisy, Tenn) doubled to left field to begin the bottom of the fourth. The next two hitters struck out, but with two outs, Robbins sent a high fly ball in the infield that was dropped by the catcher Goolsby and allowed Vandergriff to score from second to tie the game at four, after four innings.
Emmanuel regained the lead in the top of the 6th. Gabby Buffington grounded to second, scoring Emma Varner from third to go up 5-4. Abigail Curry followed with a single to center field to score Kasey Westmoreland and the Lions lead was 6-4.
Once again, the Eagles faced adversity and responded. The bases were loaded with two outs in the bottom of the six with Bailey at the plate. The freshman delivered a two rbi single to left that scored two runs on the intial base hit. However, the throw by the shortstop Buffington to the second base bag sailed over Varner's head and into right field. This allowed pinch runner Brooke Taylor (Knoxville, Tenn) to score and give the Eagles the lead.
That mistake turned out to be the difference in the game, as the umpires called the game after six innings due to darkness.
NicKollete Ferguson (Erwin, Tenn) got the win in relief, going 3 2/3, allowing three hits, two earned runs and striking out two. She retired the first nine batters she faced.
C-N returns to action this weekend at the Charger Chillout in Albertville, Alabama. The Eagles begin the weekend with a matchup against Mississippi College at 12:00 p.m Friday (10th).
