Due West, SC – Erskine was within one out of having the mercy rule invoked when Larissa Shannon (Newberry, SC, Newberry High School) hit a 3-run home run followed by a solo shot by Morgan Purcell (Duncan, SC, Byrnes High School) to cut the Carson-Newman lead in half to 8-4. The next inning Erskine scored 7 more runs to take an 11-8 lead. Carson-Newman rallied for three runs in their last at-bat to force an extra frame. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Shannon drilled a double into right-center to win the first game of the double-header 12-11.
Shannon led the Fleet at the plate going 2 for 4 with 5 rbis. Colleen Gardner (Matthews, NC, Butler High School) also had two hits and an rbi. Heather Richey (Abbeville, SC, Abbeville High School) picked up the win in relief throwing two innings, surrendering one unearned run on one hit, walking one and striking out four.
The second game also required extra innings. Shannon hit her second three-run homer in the first inning to give the Fleet the early lead. Carson-Newman scored one run over the next four innings to take a 4-3 lead. The Fleet tied the game on Gardner’s rbi single in the bottom of the fifth. After both teams scored a run in the 8th inning, the game was called due to darkness.
After second home run, Carson-Newman Head Coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield elected to intentionally walk Shannon her next three at-bats.
Gardner had two more hits and an rbi. Purcell and Whitney Brown (West Columbia, SC, Airport High School)also had hits for the Fleet. Richey pitched 8 innings giving up 5 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits while walking 3 and striking out 2 in the no-decision.
Erskine is now 4-1-1 on the season. Carson-Newman slips to 6-5-1.
Erskine returns to action next Wednesday against Augusta State University. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
