DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (2-6) lost a pair of close games to begin its weekend in the Fleet/Bearcat Tournament at the Erskine Softball Complex on Friday afternoon. Carson-Newman University (15-3) rallied past the Fleet in extra innings, 11-9, in Game 1, and Georgia Southwestern State University (10-4) scored late to down the Fleet, 7-6, in Game 2 of the day.
 
THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Carson-Newman leads the all-time series over Erskine, 19-8, while Friday marked the first ever meeting for Erskine with Georgia Southwestern.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: Carson Newman 11-9 Erskine (Final / 8 innings)
After working around a one-out single in the top of the first inning, Kelci Brown led off the bottom half by drawing a leadoff walk. Brown stole second and Erskine batters drew three more walks in the inning, the last being by Aly Salois, which allowed Brown to jog home and give Erskine an early 1-0 lead. The Fleet kept Carson-Newman quiet and added to their lead in the third inning. Kyndall Chandler singled to left center field to double Erskine's lead before Salois drove in two more runs with a single back up the middle as Erskine led 4-0 after three innings. Carson-Newman got a run back in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run, but Faith Belue led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo blast of her own to put Erskine back ahead by four runs, 5-1. But, the Eagles scored five times on two swings of the bat in the next half inning and took their first lead of the game, 6-5. Again, Erskine responded in the bottom half of the frame, this time via a Katie Hunter sacrifice fly to tie the game at 6 after five innings. Shi Cain launched a go-ahead, two-run home run in the sixth inning to put Erskine back in front, 8-6, needing just three outs to seal the victory. Down to its last out, Carson-Newman's Leah Sohm hit a bases-clearing triple to put the Eagles back ahead, 9-8. However, Brooke Patterson tied the game in the bottom half with a solo home run, sending the game to extra innings. The Eagles scored twice in their half of the eighth and the Fleet were unable to score, giving Carson-Newman an extra-inning win, 11-9.

GAME 2: Georgia Southwestern 7-6 Erskine (Final / 6 innings)
Georgia Southwestern came flying out of the gates in the final game of the day, scoring twice in the first and third innings to take a 4-0 lead. But, Erskine began the bottom of the third inning with a pair of walks before back-to-back singles from Sydney McInnis and Shi Cain split the Hurricanes lead in half, 4-2. And Erskine wasn't done in the inning. Kyndall Chandler tied the game with a two-run double and freshman Maddie Ingram followed with her first collegiate home run to put Erskine in front, 6-4 after three innings. Kaley Ingle came on for the Fleet and worked a scoreless fourth inning, but Georgia Southwestern scored three times in the fifth to back in front, 7-6. The Fleet had the bases loaded with just one out in the bottom half of the frame but were unable to score. Ingle worked around a pair of singles in the top of the sixth and Cain roped a two-out double in the bottom half but was stranded there as the game was called due to darkness after six innings, giving Georgia Southwestern a 7-6 win.

THE PLAYER
Shi Cain went a combined 4-for-8 on the day with a double and a home run, the big fly being a go-ahead two-run blast in the sixth inning against Carson-Newman. Kyndall Chandler was also a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine wraps up the weekend tournament with two more games on Saturday afternoon. The Fleet take on Coker University (9-9) at 1:00 p.m. before a bout with No. 11 Lincoln Memorial University (11-4) at 3:30 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

    Visit the Official Home of Erskine Athletics at www.erskinesports.com
  
    Follow us on Social Media – Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Photos