Shoemake hits for cycle; Lady Eagles split with Queens
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Sophomore catcher Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.) hit for the cycle in game two of Sunday's doubleheader with Queens, as the Carson-Newman softball team split with the Royals. The Lady Eagles cruised to a 5-0 win in the opener before dropping a 5-3 decision in the second game despite Shoemake's effort at the plate.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Sophomore catcher Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.) hit for the cycle in game two of Sunday's doubleheader with Queens, as the Carson-Newman softball team split with the Royals. The Lady Eagles cruised to a 5-0 win in the opener before dropping a 5-3 decision in the second game despite Shoemake's effort at the plate.
Shoemake went 7-for-8 on the day with two doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBIs.
With the split, the Lady Eagles are 5-3 on the season. Queens is now 2-2 overall.
In the first game, starting pitcher Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) fired a two-hit shutout to lead C-N to a 5-0 victory. Shealy (3-1) had seven strikeouts in seven innings of work.
The Lady Eagles pounded out 10 hits for the game, including a 3-for-4 effort from Shoemake and two doubles from Kim Whaley (Maryville, Tenn.). Amber Hewitt (Ringgold, Ga.) also went 2-for-2 in the win.
Queens starter Brandy Jester (1-1) surrendered five runs on 10 hits in six innings in the circle. She finished with 10 strikeouts. Jestser also led the Royals at the plate with two hits.
The Lady Eagles struck first in the opening inning. After Cassidy Skeen (Powell, Tenn.) walked and then stole second, Shoemake lined a double to left field, scoring Skeen to give C-N a 1-0 lead.
C-N pushed its lead to 2-0 in the second on a RBI double by Whaley.
The Lady Eagles put the game away in the fifth with a three-run outburst, highlighted by RBI singles by Shoemake and Sara Kelley (Birchwood, Tenn.).
In the second game, a three-run sixth inning lifted the Royals to a 5-3 victory.
Shoemake did most of the damage for C-N as she hit for the cycle. She went 4-for-4 and drove in two of the Lady Eagles' three runs. Whaley added two more doubles, while Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.) delivered two hits, including a double.
Queens collected eight hits for the game, including two each from Jester, Kaitlyn Cheek and Brooke Spradlin.
Royals starting hurler Chantel Dodge (1-1) earned the win after giving up three runs on nine hits and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.
Lady Eagles starter Jessie Forrester (Flintstone, Ga.) was tagged with the loss. Forrester (2-2) allowed four runs and six hits and fanned five in seven innings in the circle.
Queens scored its first run of the day in the top of the third on a single to left field by Cheek, scoring Maria Goode from second to take a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Eagles bounced back to take the lead in the home half of the inning with a pair of runs. Shoemake delivered a RBI triple to deep left field, and Kee came through with a run-scoring single to give C-N a 2-1 advantage.
Queens took the lead for good in the sixth with a three-run innings. After the Royals loaded the bases, Spradlin ripped a double to center field, clearing the bases to give Queens a 4-2 lead.
The Royals added in insurance run in the seventh on a triple by Jester.
Shoemake came through with a solo home run in the seventh to trim Queens' lead to 5-3, but the Lady Eagles were unable to pull closer.
The Lady Eagles return to action on Tuesday at Columbus State. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
