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Carson-Newman advances to Super Regionals

Eagles defeat Bears 2-1

Alan Rogers

Whitney Kee (left) and Jessie Howard of Carson-Newman College come off the field after their 2-1 win over Lenoir-Rhyne University in the Hickory Regional of the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament.

By Mark Parker

Record Sports Correspondent

Published: May 11, 2009

HICKORY - After a loss to Lenoir-Rhyne on April 4, the Carson-Newman Eagles, have won 13 of their last 15, culminating in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears in the Division II Southeast Region II Championship game at Lenoir-Rhyne. With the win, Carson-Newman (32-15) advances to the Super Regional next weekend.

Lenoir-Rhyne (38-13), needing the win to force a second game in the double-elimination tournament, had an opportunity to open a big lead in the first inning. Eagles' pitcher Stephanie Templeton (12-2) opened the game by walking four of the first five hitters, forcing in a run for a 1-0 lead. Templeton, then forced Brittney Furr to pop up to short and struck out Brittany Cherry to escape further damage.

After stranding 12 runners in a 6-4 extra inning-loss to the Eagles on Saturday, the inning was a moment of déjà vu for Bears coach Shena Hollar.

"We should have had more where we were at in our lineup," Hollar said.

"That hurt us yesterday whether it's being young or not doing what we need to do. We do it in practice all the time and we've done it in games all the time, but there's a little more pressure today to execute and we didn't. It hurt us when we played them the first time and it hurt us again today."

For Eagle's coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield, she knew her team had a battle on their hands.

"I think (we) have a spirit of not backing down," Kazee-Hollifield said. "I know it was frustrating that first inning, but Stephanie (Templeton) had to get in the umpire's zone and not her zone."

After the first, Templeton and L-R's starter Noel Beck kept the offenses quiet. Beck relied on the ground ball to record eight of the first 12 outs for the Bears, allowing only two hits in the first four innings.

Entering the fifth inning, Kazee-Hollifield held an animated response with her players near the dugout.

The Eagles' offense took her pep talk to heart and responded with a rally to tie the game.

After avoiding a strikeout on a close pitch, Leah Price lined the next pitch to left field for a single. One out later, Jamie Howard lined a double to the gap in left-center to score Price with the tying run.

"I don't tend to take things on myself," said Kazee-Hollifield, "but I noticed they were breathing hard. I gave them a couple of charges — I reminded them that this is what they worked hard for and don't have one lazy at bat. When we're going out there, everything matters."

One inning later, power hitter Sara Little (12 HRs, 53 RBIs on the season) gave Carson-Newman the lead with a home run to left field high off the scoreboard.

Hollar was dismayed after the game with the pitch selection in that situation.

"I kept saying to pitch her low and away, keep it low and away. We gave her a pitch up, where she likes it, and she hit it up."

Little showed patience throughout the afternoon in her three at bats, seeing 17 pitches.

"Coach told me to be that I probably wouldn't see a lot of good pitches, so I had to be patient. I finally got one in little bit and I was able to hit it."

Templeton completed the game for Carson-Newman allowing only two hits, retiring the final 14 hitters of the game.

Carson-Newman will face North Georgia next weekend. The NCAA will announce the location of the game today.