Lenoir-Rhyne, Lincoln Memorial, Catawba, Carson-Newman Advance In Food Lion SAC Softball Tournament

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Eighth-seeded Lincoln Memorial erupted for four runs in the fourth inning en route to a 4-3 victory over seventh-seeded Brevard College on Thursday in the loser's bracket of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.

With the win, Lincoln Memorial (29-23) will face second-seeded Carson-Newman on Friday in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Brevard concludes its season at 29-21.

After two scoreless innings, the Railsplitters got things going with a four-run outburst in the home half of the third. Freshman Taylor McGinnis (Powell, Tenn.) and sophomore Cierra Mudd (Washburn, Tenn.) each delivered a two-run double in the inning to give Lincoln Memorial a 4-0 lead.

Brevard began to chip away in the fifth. Senior Kayla Dorsey (West Palm Beach, Fla.) produced a run-scoring single, and freshman Meredith Davenport (High Point, N.C.) scored when Martika Elmore (Fayetteville, N.C.) reached base on a fielder's choice to cut Lincoln Memorial's lead in half.

The Tornados made things interesting in the seventh, as Kayla Clemens (Sebring, Fla.) smashed a two-out triple to drive in Davenport to trim the Railsplitters lead to 4-3. However, Mudd was able to get Elmore to ground out in the next at bat to seal the win.

Lincoln Memorial tallied six hits in the win, as McGinnis and Mudd each had a double and two RBIs.

Brevard collected six hits, including a 2-for-4 effort from Dorsey. Clemens finished with a triple.

Railsplitters starting hurler Katie-Jo Gentry (Calhoun, Ga.) earned the win in the circle to improve to 11-14 on the season. Gentry allowed one run on three hits in four innings of work.

Brevard starter Alyssa Miller (Davie, Fla.) was tagged with the loss. Miller (12-10) gave up four runs and six hits in four innings in the circle.

Carson-Newman 6, Wingate 5

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Freshman Caitlyn Lance (East Ridge, Tenn.) smashed a three-run double in the top of the seventh inning for the game-winning hit to lift second-seeded Carson-Newman to a 6-5 victory over fifth-seeded Wingate in the loser's bracket of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament on Thursday at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.

With the win, C-N advances to face the winner of the matchup between eighth-seeded Lincoln Memorial and seventh-seeded Brevard in an elimination game on Friday at 11 a.m. Wingate concludes its season at 31-15.

The Lady Eagles trailed 5-2 heading into the seventh inning but they loaded the bases with one out to set up the comeback. Junior Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) then drew a walk to score Amber Hewitt (Ringgold, Ga.), trimming Wingate's lead to 5-3. After Wingate recorded the second out, Lance stepped to the plate and lined a double to the gap in right center to clear the bases and give C-N a 6-5 lead.

Shealy then allowed only a single in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win. Shealy (35-12) picked up the win after giving up four earned runs and eight hits in seven innings of work.

Wingate built a 2-0 lead in the third inning, as Gina Ager (Columbia, Md.) produced a RBI double and later scored on a C-N error.

After struggling early, the Lady Eagles got things going at the plate in the sixth. C-N loaded the bases, and Lance drew a walk to score Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.). Freshman Sara Kelley followed with a run-scoring single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2.

Wingate seemed to take control of the game with a three-run outburst in the home half of the sixth, including a solo blast by Emily Chavis (Berkeley Lake, Ga.) and a two-run double by Jordyn Setzer (Taylorsville, N.C.). However, the Lady Eagles rallied to win the game with a four-run seventh-inning, including Lance's game-winning three-run double.

Both the Lady Eagles and Bulldogs finished the contest with eight hits. Lance went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the way, while Shealy and senior Leah Price (Spring City, Tenn.) added two hits apiece.

Ager went 3-for-3 to lead Wingate, and Setzer finished with a hit and two RBIs.

Wingate pitcher Ashley Brown (6-5) took the loss after giving up one run and one hit in 2/3 of an inning in the circle.

Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Wingate 1

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Lenoir-Rhyne starter and South Atlantic Conference Pitcher of the Year Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) allowed only a third-inning single and Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va.) delivered a two-run single in the sixth to lift the top-seeded Bears past fifth-seeded Wingate, 3-1, in the winner's bracket of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament on Thursday morning.

With the win, the Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 39-8 and will face No. 3 Catawba in the winner's bracket final on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Wingate faces C-N in an elimination game at 2 p.m. this afternoon.

Millwood allowed just one hit and an unearned run in a complete game win. She struck out four and walked three to improve to 23-4.

L-R made the most of one of the game's few scoring opportunities in the sixth.

L-R's Tameron Sealey (Mount Holly, N.C.) drew a lead-off walk and Jody Mizelle (Colerain, N.C.) reached on a Wingate error as L-R threatened with no outs. Carlee Carpenter would reach on fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt attempt as the Bulldogs' tried to get Sealey, the lead runner at third, but Sealey would beat the throw and L-R loaded the bases with no outs.

After a fielder's choice and an out at the plate, the Bears tied the game when Wingate starter Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) hit Haily Jarman (Wadesboro, N.C.) with a pitch to knot the game at 1-1.

Smith would record the second out by inducing a ground ball and a force out at the plate from L-R's Jessica Fellmeth (Waxhaw, N.C.).

Atkins followed with a line drive into the gap in right center to score Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga.) and Jarman give the Bears their first lead of the game, 3-1.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the third. Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) led off the inning with a single up the middle and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.). However, the Bulldogs were unable to produce a hit the rest of the way.

Lincoln Memorial 2, Tusculum 0

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. - Senior Bridget Eicher (Hicksville, Ohio) delivered a two-run home run in the first inning to lead eighth-seeded Lincoln Memorial to a 2-0 victory over fourth-seeded Tusculum College in the elimination round of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Thursday at Walters State Community College.

With the win, Lincoln Memorial (28-23) stays alive and will play seventh-seeded Brevard College today at 4:30 p.m. at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex in Jefferson City, Tenn. Tusculum concludes its season at 32-17.

Freshman Taylor McGinnis (Powell, Tenn.) got things started in the top of the first for Lincoln Memorial with a two-out single to right field. Eicher then sent a two-run blast to right field for what proved to be the game-winning hit.

Freshman Katie-Jo Gentry (Calhoun, Ga.) and sophomore Cierra Mudd (Washburn, Tenn.) then combined to pitch a six-hit shutout to seal the win.

Gentry (10-14) earned the win after giving up three hits and fanning four batters in 4 1/3 innings of work. Mudd recorded her third save of the season, allowing three hits and striking out three batters in 2 2/3 innings in the circle.

Tusculum starting hurler Elizabeth Johnson (Greenville, Wis.) was tagged with the loss. Johnson (17-5) surrendered two runs and five hits and had four strikeouts in seven innings of work.

McGinnis finished with two hits to lead Lincoln Memorial, while junior Ashley Burke (North Augusta, S.C.) went 2-for-3 to lead Tusculum.

Catawba 11, Brevard 2

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - No. 3 Catawba hit grand slams in the first two innings to beat No. 7 Brevard College 11-2 in a winner's bracket game in the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Thursday morning at Carson-Newman College.

With the win, Catawba advances to Friday's winner's bracket final at 1:30 p.m. Brevard will face the winner of No. 4 Tusculum and No. 8 Lincoln Memorial on Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

Catawba improves to 31-17, while Brevard falls to 29-20.

The Indians put up five runs in the first and six runs in the second to blow the game open early at 11-0.

Catawba took a quick 1-0 lead as Carly Sabit (Warren, Ohio) lead off the bottom of the first with a triple to right center. She would score on a sacrifice fly by Amanda Terry (Cordova, N.C.) to shallow center.

The Indians would do the rest of their damage in the inning with two outs. Singles by Alli Justice (Bishopville, Md.) and Kourtni Hester (Waldorf, Md.) and a walk to Tara Gibbs (Waynesville, N.C.) set the stage for the game's first grand slam.

Indians shortstop Lauren Lewis (Concord, N.C.) drilled an offering from Brevard starter Martika Elmore (Fayetteville, N.C.) just inside the left field foul pole to clear the bases and move Catawba ahead 5-0.

Catawba would put the game out of reach an inning later.

Sabat delivered her second hit in as many innings, a single to left, and Sara Santoli (Nesconset, N.Y.) reach on a Brevard error to give Catawba runners at first and second with no outs. Terry would bunt to move the runners up. Elmore would induce an RBI-ground out from Kayla Meyers (Bryson City, N..C.) before walking the next two batters to load the bases for Hester.

Hester would deliver with a line-drive grand slam into the trees in right center to give Catawba a 10-0 lead.

Lewis would hit her second home run of the game, and third of the season, later in the second. A solo blast off of BC's Alyssia Miller (Davie, Fla.) to centerfield.

Brevard cut into the lead with two runs in the top of the third.

A double by Kayla Clemens (Sebring, Fla.) and singles by Elmore and Chelsi Mallory (Mechanicsville, Va.) helped the Tornados to cut it to the game's final margin at 11-2.

Starter Brittany Murray (Asheboro, N.C.) picked up the win for Catawba to improve to 14-9. Elmore took the loss for BC and falls to 17-11.

Lewis finished 2-for-2 with two home runs and a team-high five RBIs. Hester also had two hits and four RBIs.

Carson-Newman 4, Mars Hill 3 (9 innings)

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. - Second-seeded Carson-Newman survived sixth-seeded Mars Hill 4-3 in nine innings in the elimination round of the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament. The Lady Eagles improve to 37-14-1, while the Lions conclude their season at 29-20.

Mary Shealy gave Carson-Newman a one-run advantage in the bottom of the second inning with a solo shot to right center. Mars Hill's Natalie Haithcox answered with a two-run blast to left field in the top of the fourth inning to give her team the lead.

Dariayn Wright led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo homerun to right center to tie the game.

Each team traded one run in the sixth inning. Jade Bullins gave the Lions a 3-2 upper hand with a RBI single up the middle to score Stephanie McGrath, but Sara Kelly's RBI double to right center in the bottom of the frame knotted the game until the bottom of the ninth inning.

Wright led off with a triple to right field and scored two batters later off a single by Amber Hewitt.

Shealy pitched a complete game. She allowed three earned runs on seven hits.

Hanah Light (6-8) took the loss, giving up one earned run on four hits in three and one-third innings of relief. Taylor Morris earned a no-decision, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits over five innings.