VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Syerra Rogers Interview
VIDEO: Hayden Dye and Macauley Bailey Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (20-10, 7-3 SAC) snapped the second-longest win streak in Division II on Tuesday, sweeping nationally-ranked in-state rival No. 17 Tusculum (29-3, 8-2 SAC) in a complete effort at The Vick.
The sweep marks back-to-back home SAC doubleheaders that the Eagles have swept over in-state ranked foes, sweeping then-No. 23 Lincoln Memorial on March 8th, the last home twin bill before welcoming the Pioneers to The Vick. The four wins over ranked opponents in 2025 doubles the amount of those wins C-N had in 2024, with the two ranked wins in 2024 coming against No. 19 Lenoir-Rhyne.
"Juile [Huebner] has a good program," head coach Michael Graves said. "The top of her lineup is fast. They're very good at getting aboard, whether bunting or slapping… It was great for us to get the wins, and this is the closest we've been to being complete as far as hitting, pitching, and defense."
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 8, No. 17 Tusculum 0 (5)
C-N started the day on the right foot, as Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) set the tone for her start with a 1-2-3 top of the first.
The Eagles had the first two reach as Mari Robbins (Sweetwater, Tenn.) was plunked by a pitch before Hayden Dye (Knoxville, Tenn.) sent a towering fly ball to left that Tusculum's Danielle Jason couldn't find, resulting in a double and moving Robbins to third. Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) and Santana Anderson (Fairmont, N.C.) cashed in the pair on back-to-back sacrifice flies to put C-N on top, 2-0 after the first.
Tusculum got its first baserunner in the second, as Sammy Jimenez walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. Jimenez raced to third on a dropped third strike, creating an advantageous scenario for the Pioneers with only one away. However, Rogers set down the next two Pioneers on strikes, stranding Jimenez at third.
C-N went scoreless in the second, but Rogers picked up where she left off in the third, stranding a leadoff baserunner by retiring the next three Tusculum hitters. The Eagles added to the lead in the bottom half, as Hayden Dye ripped a one-out single before Macauley Bailey crushed her first homer of the day, doubling the C-N advantage, making it 4-0 after three.
Tusculum had its best opportunity of the day in the 4th, loading the bases with two outs after a single and back-to-back walks with two away in the frame. However, Rogers tiptoed out of trouble with a strikeout, stranding the bases juiced and retaining C-N's 4-0 edge.
The Pioneers held the Eagles scoreless in the bottom of the fourth before the Eagles returned the favor in the top of the fifth, opening the door for the C-N offense to put a stamp on the ballgame. Hayden Dye reached on a one-out single before Macauley Bailey was intentionally walked. With two runners aboard, Santana Anderson crushed a no-doubt shot, a three-run home run, breaking the game open and giving C-N a seven-run edge. With two outs in the frame, Kennady Warder walked it off in run-rule fashion, mashing C-N's third home run of the game on a solo shot, ending the game in five and snapping Tusculum's 16-game winning streak.
Syerra Rogers earned her ninth win of the season with a stellar five-inning complete-game performance, striking out eight and allowing just one hit.
"Everything was working," Rogers said. "We've been focusing on expanding my zone and my pitches, and I think I did a good job with that today."
Tusculum's Megan Ackerman dropped her second contest of 2025, allowing nine hits and eight earned runs, striking out four in 4.2 innings of work.
C-N's game one win over the Pioneers was Tusculum's first loss since February 21st, an 11-10 defeat at Southern Wesleyan.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 9, Tusculum 5
Rogers started again in game two, holding the Pioneers scoreless in the first. The Eagles jumped ahead in the bottom half, as Mari Robbins walked before Hayden Dye put C-N ahead with a two-run blast to give the Eagles an early edge. Dye's 27th blast ties her for 7th on the Carson-Newman all-time home run list, tying Macey Hughes total from 2021-24.
"Building off of each other in the lineup is big," Dye said. "Using the at-bat before, learning from it, and knowing what we want to see when we enter the box."
After a scoreless top of the second, Rogers gave herself some run support with a solo blast, adding to the early advantage. Rogers' sixth home run of 2025 is the most she's had in a season since her freshman campaign in 2022.
Tusculum manufactured a two-out runner on third in the third frame, but Rogers stranded another Pioneer in scoring position to send C-N back to the plate with a three-run lead. After Mari Robbins reached on a bunt single and Hayden Dye worked a walk, Macauley Bailey sent career home run No. 40 to center field, doubling the C-N advantage with one swing of the bat.
"It feels good because I knew there were people on base," Bailey said. "To have the Hayden's and Mari's in front of me, getting on and doing their jobs, it helps a lot."
The Eagles weren't done in the fifth, as Santana Anderson walked before Kennady Warder ripped a one-out double to put runners on second and third. Freshman Addie Saunders (Radford, Va.) made her stamp on the contest with a two-RBI single to extend the C-N lead to eight runs after three.
The Pioneers' offense had a long-awaited answer in the fourth, as Sammy Jimenez and Riley Hope traded places on back-to-back doubles to get Tusculum on the board. Later in the frame, Hailey Nichols reached on a fielder's choice that scored one to cut the Pioneer deficit to six.
After a scoreless bottom half of the frame, Tusculum kept the pressure on C-N, as the first two reached before Ellie Alvarez mashed a three-run shot to get Tusculum within two.
Lorelei Spradlin (Blacksburg, Va.) relieved Rogers after the Alvarez home run, and the freshman retired the next three, keeping C-N's lead intact.
C-N and Tusculum traded scoreless frames in the bottom of the fifth, and the top of the sixth, and C-N got a bit of insurance in the bottom half of the sixth with an RBI single from Macauley Bailey, bringing C-N's lead to 9-5.
It was a sweat-free seventh for Spradlin, setting down the Pioneers 1-2-3 to end the contest.
Rogers is credited with the win in game two, her 10th of the season and second of the day, after dealing four innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs while striking out four. Lorelei Spradlin entered and delivered three much-needed shutout innings, allowing just one hit.
Tusculum's Nyah Vogel was dealt the game two loss, her first of 2025. Vogel pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and three earned runs. Dani Beckham retired two in her outing, allowing four runs on two hits. Natalie Spaitis dealt the final four innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out four.
With a pair of quality wins under its belt, C-N looks to cap off a successful week with a doubleheader at Mars Hill, starting at 1 p.m. in Mars Hill, North Carolina.
The games will be available on FloSports ($).
For updates throughout the 2025 Carson-Newman softball season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media @cn_eagles.
