VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Wynter Morris Interview
VIDEO: Macauley Bailey Interview
VIDEO: Lorelei Spradlin Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (3-0) completed a perfect opening weekend on Sunday, taking down Concord (0-3) in run-rule fashion in both games of the doubleheader.
GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 18, Concord 5
Contrary to the final tally, the Mountain Lions came out firing in the first couple of innings. Following a tough loss to Kentucky State on Saturday, Concord rattled off the first four runs of the day, jumping out to an early lead off of an RBI single and a three-run home run.
Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.), who struck out eight in her three-inning debut against Kentucky State, was relieved by Riley Sikes (Powell, Tenn.) with one out in the top of the first.
"We knew we had planned to go with Riley [Sikes] today," head coach Michael Graves said. "I was trying to give Syerra [Rogers] a chance to work it out, but sometimes it's just not your day. We will be right back with her the next time we play, but Riley is big. I knew that she would come in, not walk many people, throw strikes, and let her defense work.
Sikes would pitch the final four and two-thirds, striking out seven and allowing just one run, earning the win in her first action since 2023.
Offensively, C-N took a little while to get going but scored 17 unanswered runs to put the game entirely out of reach. Abbi Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) started the scoring with a bases-loaded walk in the 2nd inning, but Concord answered with a run in the 3rd.
The home halves of the 3rd and 4th established the wide margin between the Eagles and the Mountain Lions. Santana Anderson (Fairmont, N.C.) kicked off a six-run third inning for the Eagles with a bloop RBI single down the right-field line. Brooklyn Lucero (Loma, Colo.) scored two on a single up the middle to bring C-N within one.
Abbi Martin earned her second RBI of the day with an infield single to tie the ballgame, and Hayden Dye (Knoxville, Tenn.) broke the tie with a two-RBI double to cap off the six-run frame.
In the 4th, Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) mashed her first home run of two on the day to right, tying for third on the Carson-Newman all-time home run leaders, matching Mary Shealy's total of 31 from 2009-12.
The Eagles would continue to pour it on in the 4th, as Wynter Morris (Crozet, Va.) mashed an RBI double before Kennady Warder (Harrodsburg, Ky.) cranked her second multi-RBI extra-base hit of the weekend with a two-run double to make it an 11-5 game.
C-N would add three more on a Trinity Brooks (Jackson, Tenn.) RBI double, a SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) RBI single and a Bailey sacrifice fly.
Wynter Morris stepped up for her second at-bat of the frame with the bases loaded and sent a no-doubt grand slam over the right-centerfield wall, homering for the second time in her Carson-Newman career to cap off an 11-run frame for the Eagles in the 4th.
"I was looking for that exact pitch," Morris said. "It was outside, but she still kind of left it hanging in the middle… I wanted to go to the opposite field anyway, so it was perfect timing… Last year, it took me till one of the last games to get my first home run, so it was really exciting to come out in the first doubleheader and get it done."
Riley Sikes and C-N would get the final three outs in the 5th, earning its second run-rule victory in as many tries. Josi Ervin and Abriel Fields combined for the four innings of work for Concord, allowing 18 runs on 17 hits, walking six, and striking out two Eagle batters.
GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 9, Concord 1
It was a new Eagle debuting in the circle in game two, as Lorelei Spradlin (Blacksburg, Va.) got the start and impressed in her first action at home, allowing just one hit over four strong innings of one-run ball. The freshman set down four Mountain Lions, surrendering just one free pass to the Concord offense.
"I was trusting my teammates, coaches, and myself," Spradlin said. "I was just being loose and having fun."
Opposite to game one, it was C-N jumping to an early advantage. Brooklyn Lucero ripped her second RBI knock of the day, bringing home two in the first to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead at the end of one.
The Eagles went down quietly in the second before Macauley Bailey moved into sole possession of third place on the Carson-Newman all-time home run list, bashing her 32nd home run in a C-N uniform, a two-run shot to double the lead. Bailey's second long ball of the day puts her one shy of Sara Little, who hit 33 home runs from 2007-10.
"It means a lot because I love the long ball," Bailey said. "There's no feeling like hitting a home run. It's something cool that I have under my belt, and it helps the whole team, not just me."
The Eagles would manufacture a run in the 4th after SieAnna Cameron stole second, and Abbi Martin scored on an errant throw by Concord's catcher, making the lead 5-0 after four.
Concord's Kayla Sholter would cut the deficit to four on an RBI infield single in the 5th, but C-N put the game on ice in the 6th. SieAnna Cameron ripped a two-RBI triple in the left-center gap before Macauley Bailey capped off her incredible day with a two-RBI double to end the game in run-rule fashion.
With a stellar first weekend under their belt, the Eagles will look to keep the foot on the pedal on Wednesday, welcoming in-state adversary Lee to The Vick for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Both games will be broadcast live on cneagles.com/live, and a stream of the games will be live on FloSports ($).
For updates throughout the Carson-Newman softball season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media at cn_eagles.
