Tusculum College and Carson-Newman University split a South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Red Edmonds Field. The Eagles (30-16, 9-11 SAC) won the opener 1-0 on a run in the top of the seventh, and the Pioneers (29-21, 13-7 SAC) captured game two by a 3-0 score as Eliza Davis tossed a three-hitter for her first career shutout.

The Pioneers will wrap up their regular season on Friday when they host SAC-leading Lenoir-Rhyne for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.

Game 1: Carson-Newman 1, Tusculum 0
(Box Score)

An RBI double by Brittany Hefner with two outs in the top of the seventh drove home Sara Kelley with the only run of the game, and Cassie Lyons (6-1) fired a three-hitter and struck out six for her first shutout of the season.

The Eagles had nine hits in the game, but stranded 12 runners on base against Pioneer starter Kelly King (17-10), including the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh. In all, Carson-Newman left eight runners in scoring position in the game.

Kelli Hensley led Carson-Newman by going 3-for-4 at the plate with three singles, while Haley Taylor and Caitlyn Lance each went 1-for-3 with a walk. Paige Sneed was the only Pioneer to reach base in multiple trips, as she walked in the fifth and singled in the seventh.

Hensley advanced to third with one out in the first but could not score, while Kaytlin Stroinski singled and stole second with two outs in the home half of the first but was left on base. Carson-Newman left runners at the corners in the second, while Tusculum had its best scoring chance in the third as Carolyn Williamson singled with one out and Miranda Beeler reached on an error, but Lyons struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied.

The Eagles again threatened in the fourth with runners at second and third and two outs, but King got a called third strike to end the rally. In the fifth, a leadoff single, hit batter and walk loaded the bases with two outs, but King was able to escape with a grounder to second to preserve the deadlock.

The winning rally for Carson-Newman in the seventh started when Kelley singled down the left-field line with two outs, and Hefner drove a pitch into the left-center gap to bring Kelley all the way around with the first run of the game. Tusculum looked for the tie as Sneed singled with one out, but Williamson was robbed of possible extra bases on a running catch in the gap in left-center by Taylor for the final out.

King struck out eight and walked two while throwing 121 pitches for the Pioneers, while Lyons issued three walks and threw just 61 of her 108 pitches for strikes.

Game 2: Tusculum 3, Carson-Newman 0
(Box Score)

Davis (7-7) won her fourth straight start as she allowed three singles and struck out five. Stroinski gave her all of the offense she would need with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first, and the Pioneers added an insurance run in the sixth to expand their lead to 3-0 heading into the final frame.

Kalyn Davis (12-9) took the loss for the Eagles in game two, giving up four hits and three earned runs while striking out one and walking three. She worked around a shaky first inning to throw all six innings for Carson-Newman in the nightcap, holding the Pioneers without a hit from the first inning into the sixth.

Just as in the opener, the Eagles mounted an early threat as they put two runners on base, but Davis retired the side on a liner to Williamson in left. In the bottom of the first, Beeler walked with one out, stole second and scored when Stroinski clubbed her sixth home run of the season to deep left for a quick 2-0 Pioneer lead.

Carson-Newman got its first hit in the fourth when Hefner roped a single back through the circle, but Davis was able to keep the runner at first base. In the sixth, Kelley led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch, but Davis came back to get the final two outs on consecutive popups to Alix Kruel at second to maintain the 2-0 Tusculum lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Beeler led off with an infield single and Stroinski drew a walk on four pitches. After a double steal, Courtney Hutcherson laid down a squeeze bunt that turned into a base hit, allowing Beeler to score for a 3-0 Pioneer lead. Carson-Newman escaped further damage as they threw out both Hutcherson and Stroinski attempting to steal on the same play for an unusual double play.

Carson-Newman mounted one final threat in the seventh, but Kruel knocked down a grounder from Hensley up the middle to preserve the shutout and put runners at first and third with two outs. With Kelley and her nine home runs representing the potential go-ahead run on deck, Davis came back from a 3-0 count to retire Elayna Siebert on a fly ball to left for the final out.

Beeler finished 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored and two steals in game two for the Pioneers, while Hutcherson was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Hensley was 1-for-1 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt, and Kelley finished 1-for-2 with a walk for the Eagles.