JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The University of New Haven softball team suffered both ends of a doubleheader against the Carson-Newman Eagles on the first day of its second trip down south of the spring. New Haven dropped the first game, 4-1, and fell in the second game, 9-1.
 
Sophomore Alexandria Cunkle (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) led on the day with two hits, while seven other Chargers all had one base hit. Senior Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) and junior Vanessa Strohm (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) had the RBIs for New Haven.
 
Game 1: Carson-Newman 4, New Haven 1
 
Carson-Newman wasted no time as the Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, however Butts pitched herself out of a jam with a ground out to end the inning. An inning later, the Eagles got two runners on base with one out, but could not push a run across again as Butts pitched two-straight ground outs to shut Carson-Newman down once again. In the top of the third, junior Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) hit a two-out single to right field and stole second base, eventually scoring on Schiebe's RBI single up the middle as New Haven grabbed a 1-0 lead. Carson-Newman had an answer in the bottom of the third, knotting the game up at one run a piece with an RBI single by Katie Pritchett.
 
After some defensive changes in the field for the Chargers in the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) retired the side in order with three-straight ground outs. After New Haven went three-up, three-down in the top of the fifth, Carson-Newman put two runners on with one out, but the defense continued strong for New Haven once again with Butts tossing two-straight outs to end the fifth.
 
Carson-Newman got the only offense it would need for the remainder of the game, plating three runs on three hits while capitalizing on one Charger error in the bottom of the sixth to take the front end of the doubleheader, 4-1.
 
Butts suffered the loss in the circle, tossing 6.0 innings with three strikeouts while surrendering no earned runs. Lacie Rinus earned the win for the Eagles with a complete-game performance.
 
 
Game 2: Carson-Newman 9, New Haven 1
 
Carson-Newman once again got things started up quickly in the first inning with bases loaded and two outs, but sophomore Kylie Stonebraker (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High School) struck out her final batter of the inning, sitting down Taylor Scott on four pitches. Stonebraker again found herself in a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the second and shut down the Eagles with a swinging strikeout and fly out to center field with the game tied at zero through two.
 
Carson-Newman rookie Haley Caldwell broke the score in the bottom of the third with a leadoff home run down the left field line before the Eagles added three more runs over the next two innings. Down by four, New Haven finally rallied in the top half of the sixth inning when Schiebe, freshman Katrina Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley), and Cunkle loaded the bases with one out. New Haven kept the rally going with Strohm reaching on a fielder's choice to plate Schiebe.
 
The Eagle bats proved to be too much for the Chargers as Carson-Newman tacked on five more runs in the sixth inning to end the game.
 
Stonebraker took the loss in the circle, surrendering four runs in 4.0 innings pitched while tossing four strikeouts.
 
After a day off, New Haven continues its Volunteer State trip and will face Lincoln Memorial for a doubleheader in Harrogate, Tenn. at Dorothy Neely Field. For fans who are unable to attend, live stats and video will be available on www.lmurailsplitters.com.