Lady Eagles Claim Second Straight SAC Tournament Championship
April 26, 2009
HICKORY, N.C. - Carson-Newman junior Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) fired a four-hit shutout and first baseman Sarah Little (Calhoun, Ga.) delivered a pair of two-out RBI singles as the Carson-Newman Lady Eagles claimed their second-straight Food Lion South Atlantic Softball Tournament with a 2-0 win over Wingate University on Sunday afternoon in Hickory, N.C.
With the win, the Lady Eagles claim the SAC's automatic bid to the Division II NCAA Softball Tournament. C-N improves to 29-15 on the year, while Wingate falls to 33-14-1.
Carson-Newman jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Little came through with the first of her two RBI singles. The Calhoun, Ga. native drove an offering from Bulldog starter Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) in left centerfield to plate Jessie Howard (Knoxville,Tenn.), who drew a walk to start the game.
The Lady Eagles added to their lead in the fourth in the same fashion.
Howard walked to lead off the inning. After stealing second and moving up a bag on a Whitney Durham (Rossville, Ga.) sacrifice, Little came through again, scoring Howard with a drive through the right side. Howard's stolen base was one of four on the day for the Lady Eagles.
Templeton (WP, 9-2) went the distance for C-N, scattering four hits and striking out four. She also issued three walks, but didn't surrender an extra-base hit or allow a Bulldog base runner to reach third. For the tournament, Templeton allowed just five earned runs in 24 1/3 innings of work.
Smith (LP, 13-5) pitched well in the loss for Wingate. She allowed just four hits and struck out six, but walked five on the day, including Howard twice, which led to both runs.
Little finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs. She was the only player in the game with multiple hits.
Debra Grijalva (San Jose, Calif.) led the Bulldogs with a 1-for-1 day. She left the game in second inning after suffering a cut on her arm during a collision with C-N's Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.) at home plate.
With the win, the Lady Eagles have now won nine South Atlantic Conference Tournament titles, and have won eight-straight games in the tournament.
