Shealy’s walk-off home run sends C-N to sweep of first-place Anderson

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman pitcher Mary Shealy lead off the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk-off home run to centerfield to send the Lady Eagles to a 4-3 win in Game 2 and a sweep of South Atlantic Conference leading Anderson (S.C.) on Friday afternoon at the C-N Softball Complex. C-N won the opener, 5-3.

The win loves C-N to 25-18 on the year and 7-7 in SAC play, while Anderson falls to 31-9 and 9-5 in SAC play, and out of first.

Game 1 – Carson-Newman 5, Anderson 3

Catcher Bri Shoemake's two-out double was the big blow during a three-run Lady Eagle fourth inning as C-N rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to win the opener.

C-N took advantage of a pair of walks in the inning to load the bases for Shoemake, whose line drive found the gap in right field to give C-N its first lead. Right fielder Kim Whaley singled through the right side to score Jessica Morgan for the first run of the inning.

Anderson struck first in the first inning with a pair of runs.

The Trojans touched up C-N starter Mary Shealy for three hits and two runs. First baseman Jessica Swygert's double of the centerfield fence scored Abby Child to make it 2-0. Child had an RBi single earlier in the inning to score Jessica Neidigh, who led off the game with a single back up the box.

C-N answered back with a run in the second.

Whaley ripped a line drive off the fence in left field to score Cassie Elliot and cut the Trojans' lead to 2-1.

After the opening inning, Shealy settled in and held Anderson to a single until the sixth.

The Trojans threatened C-N's 5-2 lead in the sixth. A misplayed fly ball to lead off the inning by Whaley in right field gave the Trojans life. Laura Jansky scored Abby Child on an RBi single as Anderson cut the lead to 5-3, but Shealy induced a ground ball from Bri Cason to end the inning with the bases loaded.

Shealy (WP, 24-18) allowed six hits, but only three in the final six innings.

Cassidy Skeen was 2-for-4 to lead C-N, while Neidigh had two hits for Anderson.

Game 2 – Carson-Newman 4, Anderson 3

Shealy's third home run of the year capped Carson-Newman's second rally as C-N finished the sweep with a 4-3 win.

Shealy's only hit of the game sailed over the centerfield fence to open the seventh to cap C-N's rally from a 3-2 deficit in the sixth.

Anderson broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth on an RBI double in the gap in right by Jansky scored Danielle Swygert with the go-ahead run. Swygert doubled to the gap in left center.

C-N answered back on a double by Whaley and an infield single by Shelby Robertson to tie the game. The Lady Eagles loaded the bases, but couldn't get the big hit to break the game open.

Anderson again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first.

Neidigh drew a leadoff walk and Rebecca Martin singled to right as the first two Trojans reached. Child followed with a double off the base of the right-field wall to score both runs.

C-N tied the game in the fourth as Sara Kelley doubled and Whaley added a sacrifice fly to get the C-N offense going. Cassie Elliott tied the game with an RBI walk as C-N erased another early lead.

Kelley was 2-for-3 and scored twice for C-N, which left nine on base in the game.

Shealy (WP, 24-18) picked up the win to remain among the nation's leaders, allowing five hits.

Amber Duncan (LP, 16-5) pitched well, but took both losses for Anderson.

Carson-Newman returns to action on Monday against Mars Hill College in South Atlantic Conference action. First pitch is at 2 p.m. in Jefferson City.

-C-N-