BRISTOL, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (2-8) saw a lead slip away late in game one before King (5-3) hung multiple crooked numbers in the night cap for a doubleheader sweep of the Eagles Sunday afternoon at the King Softball Field.
The Tornado scored four unanswered runs for a 4-3 win in game one before pounding out 10 hits and 13 runs for a 13-2 win over the Eagles in the night cap.
It marks the first time in series history that King has swept a doubleheader from the Eagles. The 11-run margin is also King's largest win in series history.
GAME ONE: King 4, Carson-Newman 3
Carson-Newman lit the lamp first in the top of the first. Abby Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) led off the inning with an infield single to second. A batter later, she scored from three bases away on a Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) double to left center.
The Eagles added to their advantage in the top of the third. Hughes led off the inning with her second double of the day. She moved to third on a Hayden Dye (Powell, Tenn.) single to right before Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange, Conn.) scored Hughes with a sacrifice fly to center to push the Eagles' edge to 2-0.
C-N tacked on another single run in the top of the fourth. Kennady Warder (Harrodsburg, Ky.) roped a one-out single down the left field line before taking second on a wild pitch. After a foul out to first, Martin scorched a line drive off the pitcher's glove, which deflected it into right. That bought enough time for Warder to wheel around third, score and make it a 3-0 Eagle edge.
King answered in the bottom of the fourth. Haylee Dye clobbered a one-out triple off the wall in left center before scoring when Lilly Million doubled her in. Megan Dobrev followed with a two-out single to right center to plate Million and make it a one-run game, 3-2.
The Tornado tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth. Bradlie Warner started the inning off with a double. After a fly out to center, Tinsley Thompson slashed a single to right to plate Warner and level the score 3-3.
After a stolen base and a wild pitch, Thompson scored on a sacrifice bunt, darting around the throw and tag at the plate to give King a 4-3 lead.
Carson-Newman got the tying run on in both the sixth and seventh innings, but never could find the timely hit to level the game.
Lexi Lacy took the loss in relief for C-N. She pitched 0.1 innings, giving up two hits and two earned runs.
Marleigh Duncan logged the complete-game win for King. She worked around nine hits, two walks and fanned two while giving up the three earned runs.
GAME TWO: King 13, Carson-Newman 2 (five innings)
The Tornado grabbed the opening lead in the nightcap.
Back-to-back one out singles set the table for Alyssa Suits. She drove a 3-1 pitch down the right field line to score two and give the Tornado an opening 2-0 lead.
The Tornado played add on in the second. An error, a walk and a sacrifice bunt gave King two runners in scoring position with one out. Jessica Campbell took advantage of the situation skying the first pitch she saw over the wall in right center for a three-run blast – the first home run C-N pitching had allowed all year – and a 5-0 lead.
C-N got a run back in the top of the third. A leadoff hit batter and a ground out gave the Eagles a runner in scoring position with two out. Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) delivered with a sinking line drive to left center to plate Martin and pull C-N within four runs.
King got that run back in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-out error at short that allowed a run to score from third. The Tornado made C-N fully pay for the miscue with a three-run home run from Campbell – her second of the day – the next at-bat. That staked King to a 9-1 lead.
C-N pulled the game back from run-rule territory in the top of the fourth as Dye and Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) started the inning with back-to-back doubles to trim the deficit to 9-2.
King stretched it back to run-rule territory in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out bases-loaded walk, a two-out single and a two-out, two-run double. Four runs scored for a second straight inning and the Tornado carried a 13-2 lead into the fifth.
C-N drew a two-out walk, but could not extend the game.
Kayleigh Bowers took the loss in a 1.1-inning start. She gave up five hits while walking one and striking out two. King scored four earned runs off her.
Nicole Counts improved to 2-1 with the win. She gave up five hits and two earned runs. She punched out three and walk one.
Carson-Newman breaks for 10 days before opening the doors to the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex on Feb. 28 against Kentucky State. First pitch against the Thorobreds is slated for 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network will be available at cneagles.com/live. A video stream can be found through FloSports with a subscription at cneagles.com/FloSB.
