MARS HILL, N.C. – Carson-Newman (20-12, 7-5 SAC) saw its seven-game winning streak over Mars Hill (16-16, 6-6 SAC) snap on Saturday, dropping a pair of contests on the road.

"I have a great group of student-athletes," head coach Michael Graves said. "We are tough to beat at home, but we have not been anywhere close to the same team on the road. We have talked about it, and it is still not getting better. The focus is not the same. We miss a ton of signs, we struggle in the circle, and our strike zone knowledge has been non-existent."

The Mountain Lions used the Eagles' biggest strength against them, mashing six home runs in the twin bill. The pair of losses mark the seventh and eighth times C-N has dropped a contest on the road, dropping the Eagles' record away from home to 3-8.

GAME ONE: Mars Hill 5, Carson-Newman 4

The opener started with the best arms on each side going at it, with Syerra Rogers (Graysville, Tenn.) and Téa Cornett holding the game scoreless through four innings. Two of Rogers' first four innings were 1-2-3 frames, and she did not allow a hit until the fifth.

The Eagles got off to an equally sluggish start, as Cornett held C-N's offense to just four hits and nothing in the scoring column through four innings.

C-N broke the scoreless deadlock in the fifth, as Abbi Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) walked and immediately nabbed second. Mari Robbins (Sweetwater, Tenn.) singled and stole second to put two in scoring position. Hayden Dye (Knoxville, Tenn.) cashed in on the opportunity, roping a two-RBI double, scoring Robbins and Martin, and giving C-N its first lead.

C-N would grow the lead as Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) and Kennady Warder (Harrodsburg, Ky.) ripped RBI singles, giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead.

Mars Hill had an answer in the bottom half, as Leah Grimes reached on a walk, and Daci Sarver doubled with one away, putting runners on second and third for the Mountain Lions. Camryn Sterling delivered, getting Mars Hill within one on a three-run shot.

C-N went down 1-2-3 in the sixth, and Mars Hill tied the game in the bottom half of the sixth on a Sara Rexrode solo home run. The Eagles had a chance to regain the lead in the seventh, as Hayden Dye and Santana Anderson (Fairmont, N.C.) reached on singles, but a double play ended the threat, leaving the door open for Mars Hill in the bottom half of the seventh.

The Mountain Lions wasted little time in the seventh, as Brooke Hanson lifted a walk-off home run to give Mars Hill its first win over Carson-Newman since 2021.

Lorelei Spradlin (Blacksburg, Va.) is handed the loss, pitching one inning and surrendering just one hit, but it was decisive. Syerra Rogers dealt the first five innings, striking out six and allowing four runs on three hits. Mariyn Waterman (Oakdale, Calif.) recorded one out in relief.

Téa Cornett earned her tenth win in a complete game effort, striking out four while allowing two earned runs on ten hits.

GAME TWO: Mars Hill 10, Carson-Newman 5

After C-N went scoreless in the first, Mars Hill jumped out to an early lead on a Bri Weimer solo home run, the fourth of the day for the hosts, creating an early 1-0 edge after one.

Two of the first three Eagles reached in the second frame, but a fielder's choice and a strikeout ended C-N's half of the second. Riley Sikes (Powell, Tenn.) pitched a scoreless frame in the second, holding the deficit at one.

The Eagles went 1-2-3 in the third, and the Mountain Lions jumped on the opportunity to extend the lead. Two free passes to start the inning created traffic, and a one-out single from Maia Sholter loaded the bases. Sara Rexrode capitalized on the opportunity, scoring two on an RBI single, extending the MHU lead to 3-0 after three.

C-N made a dent in the deficit with a Kennady Warder leadoff home run, and a scoreless 1-2-3 half inning defensively sent the game to the fifth with some momentum for the Eagles. However, C-N went scoreless in the top of the fifth, and Mars Hill created separation on the scoreboard in the bottom half.

Bri Weimer and Brooke Hanson led off the frame with back-to-back singles, and Maia Sholter reached on a fielding error to load the bases again. Sara Rexrode cleared the bags with a three-RBI double, giving Mars Hill its largest lead at 6-1.

The Eagles showed life in the top of the sixth, as Macauley Bailey reached on a leadoff walk, and Syerra Rogers crushed a two-run home run to bring C-N within four. Rogers' seventh home run in 2025 eclipses her career-high of six in her freshman season in 2022.

C-N continued to chip away in the sixth inning, as Mari Robbins walked before Santana Anderson launched C-N's second home run of the frame to cut the deficit to two.

However, Mars Hill had the answer. Bri Weimer crushed her second home run of the game before Maia Sholter reached on a single, and Farley Park left the yard with a two-run blast, quickly reinstating Mars Hill's multi-run edge, making it 10-5 Mountain Lions after six innings.

C-N was relatively quiet in the top of the seventh despite a one-out Macauley Bailey single, as the next two Eagles were retired to end the contest.

Riley Sikes is dealt her fourth loss of 2025, allowing five earned runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work. Lorelei Spradlin pitched the last 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out three.

Blyth Freeman earned her sixth win, allowing five runs on three hits in 5.1 innings, striking out four. Tèa Cornett entered to get a five-out save, allowing no runs on two hits.

The Eagles return home on Tuesday with an opportunity to regroup, hosting Limestone in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

For updates throughout the 2025 Carson-Newman softball season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media @cn_eagles.