VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Abbi Martin Interview
VIDEO: Brooke Matyasovsky Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – No. 21 Carson-Newman (21-5, 6-2 South Atlantic Conference) walked it off in game one before rallying from a six-run deficit in game two to cap a crazy pair of one-run wins over Catawba (14-10, 2-4 SAC) Saturday at the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex.
Carson-Newman never trailed in game one, but had to withstand three Catawba home runs before Abbi Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) sprinted home from two bases away on a fielding error to give C-N a 7-6 win. The Eagles then fell behind 8-2 after 4.5 innings in the night cap, only to score eight times in the final two frames to pull off the 10-9 win in the night cap and sweep Catawba.
The six run deficit is the largest that Carson-Newman has overcome in the last 14 years – as far back as the Carson-Newman Sports Information office has game-by-game records.
Carson-Newman nailed down 24 hits in the doubleheader, but also saw Catawba tap out 23 knocks, nine of which were four extra bases – including four home runs.
"We definitely need to work on our pitching," head softball coach Michael Graves said. "We gave up way too many hits today. That won't work and we'll continue to struggle and be lucky to win ball games if we can't get that figured out. I'm grateful to win two today, but we left the ball high. We addressed it between games, but weren't able to get it corrected for game two."
While Catawba piled up extra-base hits, the Eagles offense took advantage of its opportunities. C-N hit .400 (10-of-25) with runners in scoring position for the doubleheader. C-N was also spectacular with two outs, lacing 11 of its 24 total hits with two away.
"It took us a little to get going in game two," Graves said. "We hit the ball hard all day. Those kids never believe they are out of the game, even when they were down five or six runs. They just kept swinging with a great inner belief. Abbi and Brooke had such strong approaches at the plate.
Martin paced C-N at the plate, tallying five hits in seven trips to the plate. Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) was 4-for-6 at the plate. She delivered the go ahead run in game two. Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange, Conn.) drove in five runs across both games.
C-N belted seven doubles between the two games as a team.
GAME ONE: No. 21 Carson-Newman 7, Catawba 6
Catawba struck first in the second while taking advantage of free bases. Molly Strider walked and Lauren Brickey got plunked to lead off the frame. A sacrifice bunt moved the pair into scoring position. After a groundout to third, Courtnee Carter drilled a ground-rule double to left with two away to put the Indians ahead 2-0.
Carson-Newman countered with a two-out rally of its own in the third. After the first two batters of the inning were retired in order, Carmen Holt (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) slashed a single to right center. She stole second before Mary Vandergriff (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) walked. Abbi Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) drove in Holt with a double down the right field line. SieAnna Cameron (Alcoa, Tenn.) gave C-N the lead the next AB. Cameron shot a ball over the head of pitcher Alex Baquie who tipped the ball into right center with her glove. Both runners raced home to give C-N a 3-2 lead after two.
The Eagles used more two-out hitting to pad the lead in the fourth. After Vandergriff and Martin nipped one-out singles to right center and to center, respectively, Cameron moved the pair into scoring position with a groundout to second.
Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) took advantage, bashing a two-out, two-run double off the wall down the left field line. After a walk to Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.), Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange, Conn.) hammered a ball into center to stake C-N to a 6-2 lead.
Catawba got it all back in the top of the fifth to get the contest back to a one-run game. Riley Tucker smoked the first pitch she saw out of the park down the right field line for a solo blast. After a Bri Gallagher single, Molly Strider tanked her sixth home run of the season to left center off an 0-1 pitch. The bombs got within a run, 6-5.
Strider went yard again in the top of the seventh off the first pitch she saw in a two-out AB. She blasted off to left center to tie the game, 6-6.
Carson-Newman was able to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh. Martin nipped a two-out bloop singe and stole second. Cameron looped a ball to short that Bri Gallagher bobbled. Her throw to first was late, and Martin used the opportunity to charge around third and score the winning run.
NicKolette Ferguson (Erwin, Tenn.) got the win in relief. She pitched the final two frames, giving up one hit – a home run – to improve to 3-0.
Baquie took the loss for the Indians to fall to 9-3. She pitched 4.2 innings, giving up 10 hits and seven runs, six of which were earned.
GAME TWO: No. 21 Carson-Newman 10, Catawba 9
Much like game one, Catawba struck early. The Indians started the second with a Hales walk and a Gallagher infield single to short. After two pop ups, the Indians took the lead with a King bunt single, a bases loaded walk to Carter and a two-RBI single to center from Christina Brendle for a 4-0 lead.
Carson-Newman countered in the bottom of the fourth. C-N got tis first two batters on when Hughes got plunked and Bailey stroked a single to right center. Matyasovsky scored the first run with an RBI fielder's choice on a ground ball to shot. Carmen Holt (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) scored the second run of the inning with a bloop single down the right field line to bring the Eagles within two, 4-2.
The Indians responded in the top of the fifth with another four-run frame. Strider started the scoring with a two-run blast opposite way to right, then Balderston and Carter finished it with an RBI double to leftcenter and an RBI single to left center, respectively. That put the Indians ahead 8-2.
The Eagles answered in the bottom of the fifth. Martin led off the inning with a double down the right field line before Hughes walked with one out. Matyasovsky cranked a 1-1 pitch to centerfield to cut the deficit in half, 8-5.
A Gallagher RBI single through the right side followed a Hales double in the top of the sixth to get Catawba's edge back to four runs, 9-5.
That's when Carson-Newman really mounted its rally with an insane bottom of the sixth. C-N started the inning with four straight knocks. Dye and Holt singled and doubled, respectively, before Mary Vandergriff (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) drove in the first run with an infield single to short. Martin hit one in an identical spot to load the bases.
Cameron logged the first out of the inning with an RBI groundout to short. Then, off an 0-1 pitch, Macey Hughes (Corryton, Tenn.) ripped a double to the wall in right center to plate both runners and tie the game at nine.
After a pitching chance, Hughes got a great read on a ball in the turf and stole third. That set the table for Bailey to knock her in her nation-leading fifth sacrifice fly of the season and her 38th RBI.
Catawba got the tying run on base in the seventh with a leadoff single for King, but a strikeout and two groundouts ended the game.
Ferguson got her second win of the day in relief to move to 4-0 on the year. She gave up four hits and a run.
Tucker took the loss for Catawba. She fired 0.1 innings, the start of the Eagles' five-run sixth, giving up five hits and five runs, all earned. She drops to 0-2. The loss spoiled Savanna Beaver's 4.2 inning start, where she gave up four hits and two runs, one earned.
Carson-Newman hits the road Tuesday for a 1 p.m. first pitch at UVA Wise.
