VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
LAKELAND, FL – Despite a solid pitching and defensive effort, Carson-Newman (1-3) struggled to cash in offensively and dropped two games to Florida Southern (3-1) on Saturday afternoon at Chris Bellotto Field.
The Eagles brought the tying run to the dish in game one but eventually fell 3-1. In game two, the Eagles remained in the game for all seven innings, but a pair of insurance runs allowed the Moccasins to pull away.
"Pitching has not gotten us beat all weekend," head softball coach Michael Graves said. "I thought pitching did a good job. We gave up more hits than we wanted to, I know that, and they know that… but I think pitching and defense have been phenomenal so far."
GAME ONE: Florida Southern 3, Carson-Newman 1
In a matchup between freshmen pitchers, Kayleigh Bowers (Stephenville, Texas) got the ball for Carson-Newman while Ella Torres stood in the circle for Florida Southern.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Moccasins' Kiki Morris led off the offensive attack with a double. Kenleigh Smith followed with a single, giving the Mocs two early base runners with no one out. Despite early adversity, Bowers settled in and allowed only one run in the first frame off of a Skyler Ralstin sacrifice fly to give Florida Southern a one-run advantage in the first.
Following an uneventful top of the second for the Eagles offensively, back-to-back base hits and a walk had the Mocs ready to strike again off the freshman Bowers. The Eagles miraculously escaped the second-inning jam unscathed, as Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange, Conn.) put out the runner coming home on a fielder's choice to keep it a 1-0 ballgame.
The Eagles had their best chance of the day in the top of the third inning as Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) laced a one-out double to work her way into scoring position. As was the trend in the two days in the sunshine state, C-N failed to cash in the runner Hughes from second, and Florida Southern maintained the lead.
Making her second appearance in as many days, Lincoln Memorial transfer Emma Frost (Morristown, Tenn.) entered the game in the top of the third for freshman Kayleigh Bowers, concluding her first outing with the Eagles. The Moccasins tallied two runs in the third off an RBI triple and an RBI single to stretch the lead to three.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Eagles had another duck on the pond as Hayden Dye (Knoxville, Tenn.) seeded a 2-2 fastball in the left-center gap for a leadoff double. The opportunity came to pass, though, as three hard-hit balls found the leather of a Moccasin to end the threat.
NicKolette Ferguson (Erwin, Tenn.) took the ball from Frost in the bottom of the fourth and, similar to her appearance at Eckerd, denied Florida Southern from extending its lead, pitching three solid innings and keeping the deficit at three runs heading into the seventh inning.
Despite only three hits through the first six innings off the freshman Torres, C-N doubled that total in the seventh inning, starting with a Brooke Matyasovsky single on the first pitch of the frame. Riley Sharp (Moore, Okla.) followed it up with a single of her own, and the Eagles brought the tying run to the plate with no one out.
C-N grounded out and struck out before bringing home Matyasovsky on Macy Hughes' second hit of the day, but Florida Southern secured the final out to win game one.
Despite plenty of scoring opportunities, C-N left seven runners stranded.
The freshman Bowers is given the loss, although tossing two innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits in her debut. The relief of Frost and Ferguson combined to surrender just two runs to keep the Eagles within striking distance.
Florida Southern's Ella Torres threw a complete game, holding the Eagles offense to just one run on six hits.
GAME TWO: Florida Southern 5, Carson-Newman 0
After a seven-strikeout outing at Eckerd on Friday, Sierra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) entered the circle as the game-two starter. 2023 All-SSC Honorable Mention Mel Rogers got the ball for the Moccasins.
The Eagles generated some early traffic off of Rogers as Macey Hughes squared up her third hit of the afternoon with a leadoff single. After a walk and a single from Hayden Dye, C-N eventually loaded the bases with one out. After an out on a shallow fly ball to left field, Hughes was thrown out, tagging from third to home for a double play that got the Moccasins out of the top of the first without a scratch.
Florida Southern matched C-N in the bottom half of the first frame, loading the bases off of three first-inning walks. With just one out in the inning, Rogers forced soft contact by the next two Moccasin hitters to keep the game scoreless, heading to the second inning.
Following a quiet second inning from both offenses, Florida Southern found momentum in the bottom of the third after back-to-back doubles allowed the Moccasins to draw first blood. After another Moccasin base knock, Lexi Lacy (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) entered the circle in relief of Rogers. Two more RBI singles in the frame allowed the Moccasins to take a three-run lead into the fourth inning.
With the deficit remaining at three runs, the Eagles had another opportunity to get on the board in the fifth after back-to-back singles from Riley Sharp and freshman Trinity Brooks (Jackson, Tenn.) to give the Eagles baserunners to start the inning.
On an errant pitch, Sharp took off for third but was thrown out for the first out, taking an important runner off the base paths. A popout and a groundout ended the threat for the Eagles, stranding two runners with the tying run at the plate.
Thanks to solid relief work from Lacy, the Eagles kept the Moccasins off the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Florida Southern tallied two insurance runs.
Despite a one-out baserunner in the top of the 7th, C-N failed to build a rally in the final inning.
Another solid pitching tandem presented itself in game two, as Rogers and Lacy combined to surrender five runs, two of which came late. Rogers pitched 2.1 innings, tallying three strikeouts to bring her total to an even ten through two games. Lacy pitched the final 3.2 innings, allowing just two runs.
Despite keeping the game within striking distance, the Eagles stranded eight on base en route to the loss on the road.
Due to inclement weather, the doubleheader scheduled for Sunday with No. 10 Tampa has been canceled. The Eagles will travel to Albertville, Alabama, for the three-day Charger Chillout and will kick off the event against Young Harris on February 9th.
