
Hales' birthday homer highlights Softball's split with Carson-Newman
Salisbury, N.C – The Catawba College Softball team (19-21, 7-9 SAC) split a pair of games on Saturday against the Carson-Newman Eagles (21-15) at Whitley Field, with the offense getting hot down the stretch in a 13-6 opening win before the Eagles answered by taking the second matchup, 7-4
GAME ONE | Catawba 13, Carson-Newman 6
TEAM STATISTICS
- Carson-Newman out-hit Catawba 13-10, but Catawba led in extra-base hits 4-2 and in home runs, 2-1. The home side also notched 12 RBIs, to four for Carson-Newman
- Carson-Newman batters walked seven times, with Catawba batters drawing six
- The Eagles left 10 runners stranded, while Catawba left five on-base
- Errors were 2-1, Carson-Newman
- In the circle for Catawba, Riley Tucker (2.0 IP), Bri Herring (2.0), and Kary Hales(3.0) would combine for two strikeouts as Herring earned the win to move to 3-3 and Hales picked up her second save of the season
- For Carson-Newman, Emma Frost (2.1 IP), Syerra Rogers (0.2), NicKolette Ferguson (1.0), and Lexi Lacy would strike four batters out. Rogers (1-4) took the loss
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Grace Flynn, Hales, and Courtnee Carterall tallied a pair of hits to lead Catawba at the plate. Four players recorded one each
- Flynn and Carter each scored three runs, with Molly Strider reaching home twice
- Hales and Carter both launched a home run in the opening game, while Kinsley Caldwell and Bri Gallagher both recorded a double
- Hales' home run helped her lead all players with four RBIs, with Caldwell, Carter, and Tucker all sending two runners home as well
- Carter and Strider both drew a pair of walks
- Hales and Carter both launched home runs, with Caldwell and Gallagher both reaching on doubles as well
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- After the Eagles had loaded the bases with one out, Macey Hughes sent a single into center field that allowed Kennady Warder to score and moved Abbi Martin to third. Martin would make it 2-0 on a wild pitch from Tucker shortly after
- Gallagher was able to reach on a lead-off double, scoring as Carter sent the game-tying home run into center field
THIRD INNING
- With Tucker and Flynn aboard after consecutive singles, Hales would chase Frost from the circle with a three-run blast to right center that gave Catawba the lead, 5-2
FOURTH INNING
- Carson-Newman had an answer, with their own three-run stretch to begin the fourth inning. Macauley Bailey would score Trinity Brooks from third with a sac fly, followed by Brooke Matyasovsky sending a home run over the right-center wall to score both Macey Hughes and herself for a 5-5 scoreline
- But Catawba's hitters weren't done, as Carter, Strider and Savanna Balderston loaded the bases with no outs to bring Rogers into the circle for Carson-Newman
-While Rogers would record a strikeout to begin the day, Flynn was able to get the best of her for a single that allowed Carter to score and keep the bases loaded
- A pair of errors from Hughes then allowed Tucker to reach second, Flynn to reach third, and both Strider and Aniyah King to score as King pinch-ran for Balderston
- A sac fly from Gallagher allowed Flynn reach home from third, with Catawba now back in front 9-5
FIFTH INNING
- Hales took over in the circle for Catawba, allowing Kennady Warder to reach on a lead-off double. Warder would advance to third on a ground-out and then score on a wild pitch, though Hales would make it out of the inning having allowed just the one run
- Catawba's scorching form on offensive would continue, as they plated four runs for the second straight inning to take control of the game. Once again, the trio of Carter, Strider, and Balderston would load the bases with no outs to begin the frame
- A double from Caldwell sent both Carter and Strider home to make it 11-6 to Catawba
- Flynn would reach second on a fielder's choice that also allowed Caldwell to get to third, putting them in position for Tucker (sac fly) and Hales (single) to send them both home in ensuing at-bats for a 13-6 lead that Catawba would maintain the rest of the way
GAME TWO | Catawba 4, Carson-Newman 7
TEAM STATISTICS
- Carson-Newman out-hit Catawba 14-9, also tallying six extra-base hits to three for Catawba
- Catawba batters drew four walks, while also holding the Eagles to none
- Catawba would leave nine batters stranded, however, with Carson-Newman leaving six on base
- In the circle for Carson-Newman, Kayleigh Bowers (2.0 IP) and Emma Frost (5.0) combined for three strikeouts and the win. Frost (10-3) took the win
- For Catawba, Tucker (3.0 IP), Herring (3.0), and Hales (1.0) again saw action pitching as they combined for no walks and a strikeout. Tucker (7-6) would take the loss
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Balderston and Flynn both tallied a pair of hits, with five other Catawba batters each recording one
- Herring, Tucker, Christina Brendle, and Strider would score
- Flynn led the side with two RBIs, with Tucker and Hales earning one apiece
- Strider drew a pair of walks
- Flynn and Hales both hit doubles, with Tucker able make contact for a triple
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST INNING
- Matyasovsky opened the scoring with a single, sending Hughes home from third as the Eagles took a 1-0 lead
- Herring would reach on a single and advance to second on a Flynn ground-out, before Tucker sent her triple down the right field line to allow Herring to score and tie the game
- Another ground-out, this time from Hales, brought Tucker home from third to make it 2-1 Catawba
SECOND INNING
- A double from Warder put her aboard before she advanced to third on a wild pitch, brought home by Brooks as Carson-Newman tied the game at 2-2
THIRD INNING
- The Eagles took the lead at the top of third, with both Hayden Dye and Bailey opening the inning with a double and single. Another single, this time from Brooklyn Lucero, allowed Dye to score and advanced Bailey to third; she'd score on a single from Mary Vandergriff, making it 4-2
FOURTH INNING
- The visiting side wasn't done, as they once again plated a pair of runs for the second straight inning. Hughes would get aboard on a double, before Dye launched a home run over the center field wall to make it 6-2 for Carson-Newman
SIXTH INNING
- Dye's second homer of the game gave the Eagles a 7-2 lead, this time hit into right center
- Catawba wasn't done, however. Singles from Brendle and Balderston, along with a walk drawn by Strider, would load the bases with one out as the home side looked to rally
- A clutch double from Flynn allowed Brendle and Strider to score and brought Catawba to within three runs, 7-4. However, that would be as close as the home side would come the rest of the way
UP NEXT
- Catawba Softball is back on action on Wednesday, April 10th, as they welcome the 11th-ranked Wingate Bulldogs to Salisbury for a mid-week doubleheader at Whitley Field. Game times are currently set for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.