C-N’s SAC tourney journey halted with 7-1 loss to third-seeded LMU
WINGATE, N.C. – Third-seeded Lincoln Memorial (34-17) got timely late-inning licks, scoring six times over the final four frames, to take a 7-1 decision over fourth-seeded Carson-Newman (28-20) and eliminate the Eagles from the SAC Softball Tournament, Friday afternoon at the Wingate Softball Complex.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 |
WINGATE, N.C. – Third-seeded Lincoln Memorial (34-17) got timely late-inning licks, scoring six times over the final four frames, to take a 7-1 decision over fourth-seeded Carson-Newman (28-20) and eliminate the Eagles from the SAC Softball Tournament, Friday afternoon at the Wingate Softball Complex.
Carson-Newman will face a long wait til Monday morning to find out its NCAA tournament fate. The Eagles were eighth in the final region rankings released Monday. LMU will face elimination again Friday, facing off with host Wingate for the right to face Lenoir-Rhyne for the SAC title Saturday.
"I can't fault the effort because we were still diving in the seventh," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "We just didn't get a timely hit when we needed it. Hats off to Richie (Richardson) and his team because they played a really good game and we just got beat. Hopefully the regional committee looks at our whole body of work and our strength of schedule. We have picked up wins against the teams just in front of us."
Lincoln Memorial struck first in the top of the second inning. Alyssa Williams bounced a one-out single through the left side before taking second on a passed ball. She moved to third when Brianna Baer singled through the left side and came in to score on a Gracie Palmer sacrifice fly to right for a 1-0 LMU lead.
C-N would respond in the bottom of the inning – loading the bases with an error and singles for Addie Saunders and Syerra Rogers. Wynter Morris ripped a pinch-hit single off the pitcher to plate a run to level the score. However, C-N grounded into a double play to end the threat and leave the game level at 1-1.
LMU hopped back in front in the top of the fourth. Baer walked to lead off the frame before moving to third on back-to-back groundouts. Kristin Griffith made her position on the base paths irrelevant by jacking a 3-2 pitch opposite way to left center for a two-out home run, her sixth of the year, and a 3-1 lead.
Carson-Newman got the tying run to the plate in the fourth and fifth innings after Syerra Rogers and Hayden Dye came through the two-base hits, but the Eagles left both players stranded in scoring position.
LMU stretched the lead out further in the top of the sixth. Palmer and Anna Kate Reichter started off the inning with a single through the right side and an infield single to short. After a fly out to right, both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Hanna Bogoski took advantage, bouncing a ball back up the box to plate two runs and give LMU a 5-1 lead.
The Railsplitters continued to pour it on with a runner scoring on a throwing error in the circle and a Hannah McMeen double down the left field line that took the game out of grand slam territory and gave the 'Splitters a 7-1 lead.
C-N registered a pair of hits in the bottom of the seventh, but a line out double play kept the Eagles off the scoreboard.
SAC Pitcher of the Year Halle Grace Patton got the win, improving to 24-8. She went the complete game, scattering 10 hits and giving up just the one run. She struck out eight and walked one.
Syerra Rogers took the loss for C-N to fall to 14-7. She pitched six innings before giving way to Mariyn Waterman, who worked a hitless seventh. Rogers scattered 12 hits, giving up seven runs, six earned. She walked two and fanned four.
Addie Saunders and Rogers both registered multi-hit days for C-N. Reichter was 3-for-5 at the plate for the Railsplitters, while Griffin and Bogoski both drove in two runs.
C-N will find out its NCAA tournament fate Monday morning with a selection show on NCAA.com.
