JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – It required a walk-off double for the South Atlantic Conferene's third-best team, the Carson-Newman Eagles (23-15, 11-5 SAC) to defeat the Converse University softball team (15-31, 4-12 Conference Carolinas) 7-6 in game one of the teams' Monday doubleheader. The Eagles took game two 12-8. Monday's twinbill is the first and second games in which Converse has scored more than one run on the SAC powerhouse, and the second and third times all seven innings were played between the two squads.
Junior Riley Lingerfelt struckout seven batters in a complete-game effort in game one. Freshmen Madison Sheadel and Kiarra Thomas notched multi-hit games in game one including back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning to tie the game. Thomas, junior Sydney Watson, and sophomores Karleigh Crabill and AJ Albano all recorded three hits in game two. Sophomore Chesney Miles also had a multi-hit game in game two, posting two hits in three at-bats.
Game One: Carson-Newman 7, Converse 6
Crabill opened the day's scoring with a two-out RBI single in the top half of the first inning. The Valkyries' second-ever lead on Carson-Newman didn't last long as the Eagles scratched two runs across in the bottom of the first inning.
Carson-Newman added one run in both the second and fourth innings giving them a 4-1 lead heading into the fifth.
A one-out two-RBI triple from sophomore Ayellad Howard cut the lead down to one run in the fifth inning, but the Eagles scored two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning and brought the lead back to three runs, 6-3.
Sheadel and Thomas hit their back-to-back home runs following a two-out single from sophomore Victoria Dichio. The three runs tied the game at six runs each.
A one-out single turned into a two-out runner on second base for Carson-Newman following a stolen base. The game-clinching RBI double dropped just out of reach of Howard's outstretched arm in center field, winning the game for Carson-Newman 7-6.
Game Two: Carson-Newman 12, Converse 8
The Valkyries again struck first with a two-out Carson-Newman error that allowed two runs to come home for Converse. The Eagles retied the game with a two-run blast in the bottom of the inning.
Thomas's second home run of the day came with one out in the second inning, but a five-spot from the Eagles gave them a four-run lead, 7-3, heading into the third inning. Crabil knocked in a run via a sacrifice fly for the Valkyries' fourth run of the game. The next two half innings went by quietly before Carson-Newman scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Watson doubled into left field with no outs in the fifth inning and Thomas again brought home runs for the Valkyries with a two-out single.The Valkyries, once a single run from having the game called via run rule, were now down by just four.
Carson-Newman got one run in the bottom of the fifth that would've ended the game if not for the four spot in the top half of the inning.
Thomas brought home the team's final run of the day with two-outs in the top of the seventh inning. It was her fourth RBI of the game and fifth of the day. The effort was unfortunately not enough and the Valkyries fell 12-8.
On deck for the Valkyries:
With their eight-game road trip completed, the Valkyries are off from games until Saturday, April 13 when they host Belmont Abbey for senior day. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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