Lenoir-Rhyne, Wingate, Catawba, Brevard Post Wins In Food Lion SAC Softball Tournament

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Senior starting pitcher Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) fired a one-hitter to lead fifth-seeded Wingate University to a 2-0 victory over fourth-seeded Tusculum College in the opening round of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Wednesday at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.

Smith (21-5) worked all seven innings and had three strikeouts to pick up the win and complete her seventh shutout of the season.

With the win, the Bulldogs (31-13) advance to the second round and will face the winner of the matchup between top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne and eighth-seeded Lincoln Memorial on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the Lady Eagle softball complex. The Pioneers (30-16) will play the loser of the Lenoir-Rhyne-Lincoln Memorial matchup on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.

Wingate gave Smith all the run support she needed in the third inning. Senior Gina Ager (Columbia, Md.) got things started by lining a single to center field. Two batters later, freshman Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) delivered a single through the right side to drive in Ager to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs added a run in the fourth, as Maureen Sandidge (Sarasota, Fla.) doubled to lead off the frame and later scored on a Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) double to left center to push Wingate's lead to 2-0.

Smith had a perfect game through four innings of work before the Bulldogs committed a fielding error in the fifth and she held the Pioneers without a hit until Taylor MacDonald (Scarborough, Ontario, Canada) singled down the left-field line in the sixth to break up the no-hitter.

Tusculum's Shanda Kimbrough (Morristown, Tenn.) drew a one-out walk in the seventh, but the Pioneers were unable to take advantage of the opportunity.

The Bulldogs collected nine hits in the win, including two apiece from Ager, Whitley and senior Emily Chavis (Berkeley Lake, Ga.).

MacDonald finished with the lone hit for Tusculum.

Pioneer starting hurler Erin Searcy (Coolidge, Ga.) was tagged with the loss. Searcy surrendered two runs and nine hits and had four strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.

Catawba 5, Mars Hill 0

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Junior first baseman Alli Justice (Bishopville, Md.) delivered a triple and a home run, and freshman pitcher Emily Huneycutt (Locust, N.C.) tossed a five-hit shutout to carry third-seeded Catawba to a 5-0 victory over sixth-seeded Mars Hill on Wednesday in the opening round of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.

With the win, Catawba (30-18) advances to face the winner of the matchup between Carson-Newman and Brevard on Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex. Mars Hill (29-19) will play the loser of the Carson-Newman and Brevard contest at 9 a.m. at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.

Justice got the Indians started early as she delivered a two-run triple in the first, and sophomore Tara Gibbs (Waynesville, N.C.) added a run-scoring single to give Catawba a 3-0 lead.

Catawba pushed its lead to 5-0 in the fifth. Justice sent a solo blast to left center and Lauren Lewis (Concord, N.C.) produced a RBI single to give the Indians a five-run cushion.

Huneycutt (17-8) took care of the rest as she didn't allow a hit over the final two innings to secure the win. She gave up five hits and had one strikeout on the day.

The Indians tallied eight hits for the game, including a 2-for-3 effort from Gibbs. Justice finished the contest with three RBIs, while Lewis had a hit and a RBI.

Mars Hill collected five hits in the loss. Ashley McCurry (Asheville, N.C.) went 2-for-3 to lead the way, while Taylor Morris (Weddington, N.C.) added a double.

Morris (14-8) also took the loss after allowing two earned runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings of work.

Brevard 1, Carson-Newman 0

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Brevard junior catcher Chelsi Mallory (Mechanicsville, Va.) lined a one-out single to center field in the top of the seventh inning to drive in Becca Curlee (Eagle River, Alaska) for the winning run, as the seventh-seeded Tornados upset second-seeded Carson-Newman, 1-0, on Wednesday afternoon in the opening round of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.

With the win, Brevard advances to face third-seeded Catawba on Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex. The Lady Eagles will play sixth-seeded Mars Hill in an elimination game at 9 a.m. at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.

Neither team was able to get anything going at the plate through six innings of play, but a Lady Eagle error in the top of the seventh allowed Curlee to reach safely to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Brevard took advantage of the opportunity, as Mallory delivered the game-winning hit.

Brevard starting pitcher Martika Elmore (Fayetteville, N.C.) then retired the side in the home half of the seventh to seal the win. Elmore (17-10) fired a two-hit shutout and had two strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Lady Eagle starter Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.) took the loss despite a solid outing. Shealy (33-12) surrendered one unearned run and seven hits and fanned four batters in seven innings in the circle.

Mallory finished the contest with two of Brevard's seven hits, while Kayla Clemens (Sebring, Fla.) went 2-for-3.

Sophomore catcher Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and freshman third baseman Sara Kelley (Birchwood, Tenn.) each had a single in the loss for C-N.

Lenoir-Rhyne 8, Lincoln Memorial 5

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne scored five runs on three home runs in the second inning en route to an 8-5 victory over eighth-seeded Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday in the opening round of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex.

With the win, Lenoir-Rhyne advances to face fifth-seeded Wingate on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex. Lincoln Memorial will play fourth-seeded Tusculum in an elimination game at 11:30 a.m. at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.

The Bears, who are ranked eighth nationally, got off to a fast start, as freshman Haily Jarman (Wadesboro, N.C.) delivered a RBI double in the first to give Lenoir-Rhyne a 1-0 lead.

Lenoir-Rhyne seemed to take control of the contest in the second by erupting for five runs on three home runs, including back-to-back solo blasts by junior Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va.) and senior Brandi Haithcock (Snow Camp, N.C.) and a three-run shot by senior Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga.).

However, the Railsplitters began to chip away in the third. After Taylor McGinnis (Powell, Tenn.) drew a two-out walk, Bridget Eicher (Hicksville, Ohio) smashed a two-run home run to left center to trim the Bears' lead to 6-2.

Lenoir-Rhyne pushed its lead to 7-2 in the home half of the third on a RBI single by Megan Laxton (Taylorsville, N.C.), but the Railsplitters responded with three more runs in the fourth, as Meg Ryan (Hendersonville, Tenn.) produced a run-scoring single and Jackie Adams (Columbus, Ohio) delivered a two-run single to cut Lenoir-Rhyne's lead to 7-5.

The Bears added an insurance run in the fifth on a RBI double by Haithcock that gave Lenoir-Rhyne an 8-5 advantage.

Lincoln Memorial threatened in the seventh inning by loading the bases with one out, but Laxton was able to retire the final two batters to seal the win and earn her third save of the season.

Each team finished with 10 hits in the contest. Atkins and Haithcock tallied two hits apiece to lead the Bears, while Rivers finished with a home run and three RBIs.

Ryan, Adams and Sarah Walz (Innisfail, Alberta) collected two hits each for the Railsplitters, while Eicher finished with a home run and two RBIs. Adams also had two RBIs in the win.

Lenoir-Rhyne starting pitcher Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) earned the win to improve to 22-4 on the season. Millwood gave up five runs and seven hits and had two strikeouts in three innings of work.

Brevard starting hurler Katie-Jo Gentry (Calhoun, Ga.) was tagged with the loss. Gentry (9-14) gave up eight runs on nine hits and had two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings in the circle.