Lenoir-Rhyne, Carson-Newman, Mars Hill, Newberry Post Wins In Food Lion SAC Softball Tournament
WINGATE, N.C. -- Lenoir-Rhyne University freshman right-fielder Megan Laxton (Taylorsville, N.C.) blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning, leading the seventh-ranked Bears to a 3-1 opening round victory over Catawba College in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament Thursday at the Wingate University Softball Complex.
With the win, Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 45-6 overall. Catawba falls to 29-23 overall. The Bears face Mars Hill College Saturday morning at Wingate. Catawba will battle Wingate Saturday morning at Forest Hills High School (Marshville, N.C.). Both games are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.
Laxton's hit was only the third off Catawba junior pitcher Chelsea Claypole (Versailles, Mo.). In the fateful fifth frame, sophomore catcher Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va.) singled through the right side to start the LRU rally. Sophomore Kendayl Waugh (Stony Point, N.C.) entered the game to run for Atkins.
Waugh moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior designated player Ashley Duckworth (Conover, N.C.). Freshman first baseman Jessica Fellmeth (Waxhaw, N.C.) singled to put runners on first and third. Laxton hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to complete the scoring for the regular season champion Bears.
Catawba scored first, posting a single spot in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, senior right fielder Callie Gordy (Oak Ridge, N.C.) singled and moved to second on an error. She moved to third on a groundout. Gordy scored on an RBI single by senior second baseman Allie Marshall (Pleasant Garden, N.C.). Gordy was the only player for either team to have two hits Thursday.
Both pitchers breezed through the early innings. Catawba's first hit off LRU freshman right-hander Alex Smith (Cocoa, Fla.) was Gordy's fourth inning single. Claypole retired each batter she faced until Atkins led off the fifth inning with a single.
Smith (19-3 overall) gave up one unearned run on three hits. She struck out six and walked two. Claypole (1-9 overall) allowed three runs on four hits. She struck out three and did not walk any LRU batters.
Carson-Newman 6, Lincoln Memorial 0
WINGATE, N.C. -- Carson-Newman College scored six runs on seven hits and the Eagles benefitted from six Lincoln Memorial University errors in a 6-0 first round victory in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament Thursday at the Wingate University Softball Complex. Eagle sophomore pitcher Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) pitched a complete game for Carson-Newman (34-8 overall).
The number 22 team in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association top 25 poll, Carson-Newman will face Newberry College Friday morning at Wingate. Lincoln Memorial (27-22 overall) will battle Tennessee rival Tusculum College in an elimination game Friday morning at Forest Hills High School in Marshville, N.C. Both contests will begin at 9 a.m.
Shealy (13-4 overall) took care of business in the circle. In seven innings, she struck out seven and walked five. Shealy allowed five singles and one double to the LMU Railsplitters. The complete game is her team-best 14th of the season.
The Eagles posted two unearned runs on one hit and two LMU errors in the bottom of the first inning, giving Shealy all the support she would need. Carson-Newman added two more in the third inning to take a 4-0 advantage. Eagle junior center fielder Whitney Durham (Rossville, Ga.) had an RBI single in the frame; another run scored on an LMU throwing error.
Carson-Newman senior shortstop Jessie Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) singled to start the fourth inning. She moved to second and third on a throwing error and a passed ball, respectively. Sophomore right fielder Cassidy Skeen (Powell, Tenn.) contributed an RBI groundout to score Howard and make the score 5-0 Eagles.
In the sixth inning, junior left fielder Leah Price (Spring City, Tenn.) singled and stole second base to open the stanza. She moved to third on a Howard groundout. Price scored on an LMU error.
Price led the Eagles with a two-for-three plate performance. She scored one run and stole two bases. Howard was one of five Carson-Newman players to post one hit each. The senior shortstop also stole her team-best 31st base of the season.
Lincoln Memorial senior catcher Devin Sponseller (Delaware, Ohio) was two-for-two with two walks for the 'Splitters. Freshman pitcher Meghan LaFevor (Columbia, Tenn.) took the loss, falling to 17-12 overall. She gave up five runs (only one earned) on five hits. LaFevor struck out one and walked three in four innings of work.
Newberry 2, Tusculum 1
WINGATE, N.C. -- The third-seeded Newberry College softball team walked off with a 2-1 win over sixth-seeded Tusculum College in the opening round of the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament Thursday at Wingate University Softball Complex. The scarlet-and-gray advance into the winner's bracket on an eighth-inning walk off single by Richelle Mirabal at the
Newberry (30-11 overall) out-hit the Pioneers (17-26 overall) by a 9-4 margin, as senior Amanda Huckestein (19-6) allowed one run, scattered four hits and struck out 11 batters en route to a complete game win for the Scarlet and Gray. Mirabel went three-for-four on the day, driving in both of Newberry's runs, while Aissa Gatewood and Sara Powell each tallied a pair of hits.
Tusculum's Savannah Ewing led the Pioneers with a crucial double in the sixth inning to account for one of two extra-base hits in the game. Brittany Hunley drove in the game-tying run for the Pioneers as Phlyscia Powell and Lynnsey Jett each tallied a hit. Holli Cadenhead (8-12 overall) kept the Pioneers in the game, allowing two runs on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings of work. Cadenhead struck out three Newberry batters.
Newberry tallied the game's first run in the second inning, taking an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Mirabal. The base hit scored Stephanie Blazer. Ewing answered for the Pioneers in the sixth, ripping a one-out double down the left field line to put runners on second and third after Lynnsey Jett reached on an error to lead off the frame. Hunley laced a single to center, scoring pinch-runner Tasha Morrell from third to knot the score at 1-1 and force extra innings.
The scarlet-and-gray provided the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth, when Mirabal dropped a two-out walk-off single between the shortstop and third baseman. The base hit allowed Powell to score from third after stroking a lead-off double down the left field line.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Friday morning against seventh-seeded Lincoln Memorial University. The Railsplitters lost a 6-0 decision to number two seed Carson-Newman Friday afternoon. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. at Forest Hills High School in Marshville, N.C.
Mars Hill 5, Wingate 3
WINGATE, N.C. -- Mars Hill College junior first baseman Ashley Seawell (Asheboro, N.C.) was three-for-four with a crucial three-run homer and four total RBI as the Lions defeated Wingate University 5-3 in the first round of the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament at the WU Softball Complex.
The number four seed, Mars Hill improves to 27-14 overall. Number five seed Wingate is 33-14 overall. The MHC Lions play the Lenoir-Rhyne/Catawba winner Friday at Wingate (11:30 a.m. first pitch). The host Bulldogs will face the Lenoir-Rhyne/Catawba loser Friday at 11:30 a.m. The Wingate game will be played at Forest Hills High School in Marshville, N.C.
Mars Hill scored four runs with two outs in the second inning, thanks to Seawell's 13th home run of the season. The slugger leads the Lions in home runs and RBI (48). With two down, Wingate junior pitcher Brittany Blankenship (Midlothian, Va.) hit Mars Hill senior center fielder Lindsey Barrier (Salisbury, N.C.) with a pitch. Lion senior second baseman Rebekah Huff (Mars Hill, N.C.) reached on an error to put runners on first and second.
Barrier and Huff moved up one base on a wild pitch. Mars Hill senior right fielder Ashley Angell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) walked to load the bases. Barrier scored on a wild pitch. Seawell followed by sending a 1-2 pitch over the left-field fence to give the Lions the early advantage. The four second-inning runs were unearned.
Wingate senior shortstop Debra Grijalva (San Jose, Calif.) homered with two outs in the top of the third inning to put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard. Mars Hill got the run back in the home half of the fourth frame. Huff tripled to start the inning. One out later, Seawell singled up the middle to plate Huff.
The Bulldogs did not fold the tents, posting single runs in the sixth and seventh stanzas. Wingate freshman first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) started the Bulldog sixth inning with a double down the left-field line. Junior utility player Jessica McCraw (Waxhaw, N.C.) entered the game to run for Loudermilt.
Mars Hill survives Wingate 5-3 in Food Lion SAC first rounder - 2/2/2
One out later, McCraw moved to third on a ground out. Wingate senior center fielder LaRonda McClain (Kings Mountain, N.C.) reached on an infield single. McClain moved to second on a throwing error, allowing McCraw to score.
In the Bulldog seventh, Wingate junior left fielder Emily Chavis (Berkeley Lake, Ga.) singled up the middle with one out. Bulldog sophomore catcher Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.) walked to put runners on first and second. One out later, Loudermilt singled to left center to score Chavis. Wingate had runners on first and second after the Loudermilt hit, but the Bulldogs could not get them home.
Huff supported Seawell's monster day with a two-for-four effort. She had a triple and two runs scored. The Lions and the Bulldogs stranded 11 runners each during the first-round contest. MHC senior pitcher Tiffany Farthing (Kure Beach, N.C.) earned the complete-game victory. She gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits. Farthing struck out four and walked six.
McClain was three-for-four to lead the Bulldogs. Loudermilt was two-for-four with a double and one RBI. Grijalva and two teammates had one hit each. Blankenship took the tough-luck pitching loss. In 3 2/3 innings, she allowed five runs on seven hits. Blankenship surrendered only one earned run. She struck out three, walked three and hit two batters.