NEWBERRY, S.C. --- Top-seeded Carson-Newman
College shut out eighth-seeded Tusculum College, 4-0, to wrap up
the first round of the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference
Softball Tournament at the Newberry Softball Field on Thursday.
Carson-Newman (45-6) was paced by Zoe Heim's
three-hit, nine strikeout performance, running her record to 27-5
on the season.
Tusculum (19-23) has its six-game winning streak stopped, while
Carson-Newman posts its 18th straight victory. TC starter Ashley
Whitehead (5-9) picked up the loss for the Pioneers, allowing four
runs - two earned - on six hits and three walks in 4.1 innings.
The teams were deadlocked through three and a half innings, but
the Lady Eagles jumped ahead with three runs in the bottom of the
fourth. Jessie Kuhlman led the frame off with a
hard-hit triple to centerfield, which Whitney
Hickam followed by beating out an infield single.
Sara Little drove Kuhlman in with a single
through the right side and an Amber Palmer single
to left plated Hickam. ?Little rounded out the scoring in the frame
when she reached home after a fielding error.
Jessie Howard added the final run in the bottom
of the fifth using aggressive base-running and taking advantage of
Tusculum errors. After drawing a walk, Howard stole second,
advanced to third on a passed ball and proceeded to score on a
fielding error to provide the final 4-0 score line.
The Lady Eagles advance in the winners' bracket to take on
fourth-seeded Lincoln Memorial at 11:45 a.m. Friday at Newberry
College. Tusculum will take on fifth-seeded Mars Hill in an
elimination game at the same time at Newberry High School.
- SAC -