Lady Eagles Split with Lenoir-Rhyne
April 4, 2009
Hickory, N.C. - The No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne University Softball Team (25-6, 5-3 SAC) split its South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with Carson-Newman (19-13, 3-5 SAC) Saturday afternoon at Bears Field. The Lady Eagles won game one 10-4 while the Bears picked up the win in the nightcap, 3-0.
Game One - Carson-Newman 10, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
After a scoreless first inning, Carson-Newman put together a second frame that made the difference in the game. The Lady Eagles pounded out eight hits and scored eight runs to go up 8-0 in the contest. The inning featured four extra-base hits including a two-run triple to right field by Jessie Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Lenoir-Rhyne got on the board in the bottom of the third thanks to a single to right centerfield by senior Noel Belk (Charlotte, N.C./Queens Univ.) that scored sophomore right fielder Heather Brock (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbush HS), making the score 8-1.
The Lady Eagles added one run in both the top of the fourth and fifth innings for a 10-1 advantage. A home run by Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.) gave C-N their run in the fourth while a single up the middle by Whitney Durham (Rossville, Ga.) in the fifth scored Kim Whaley (Maryville, Tenn.) from second base.
The Bears capped the scoring in the bottom of the fifth to pull within six at 10-4. With two runners on and two outs, freshman second baseman Carlee Carpenter (Newton, N.C./Bandys HS) singled up the middle scoring sophomore shortstop Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga./Franklin County HS) and freshman catcher Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va./Warwick HS). Carpenter completed her trip around the bases as junior centerfielder Erin Evans (Fort Pierce, Fla./Indian River SC) reached on a fielding error by the shortstop.
Rivers finished the game with two doubles for L-R while Kee tallied added a double to go along with her home run for C-N.
Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) picked up the win on the mound for the Lady Eagles moving to 3-1 on the year as she scattered nine hits over seven innings while striking out four. Belk fell to 12-3 with the loss.
Game Two - Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Carson-Newman 0
After three and a half scoreless innings that only produced five base runners, Lenoir-Rhyne got on the board with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth frame. With the bases loaded and one out, sophomore third baseman Brittney Furr (Concord, N.C./Walters State CC) singled up the middle, scoring Rivers and Belk.
The Bears plated the final run of the day in the fifth. Carpenter's single to right field drove junior left fielder Brittany Cherry (Myrtle Beach, S.C./Carolina Forest HS) home to make the score 3-0.
Carpenter finished the game two-for-three to lead L-R to the victory.
Lenoir-Rhyne freshman Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn./Hixson HS) improved to 11-1 as she threw seven innings of scoreless softball, striking out two and allowing just five hits. Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) suffered the loss for the Lady Eagles, falling to 12-9 on the season.
(Courtesy LRU Sports Information)
