Hartsville, S.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (45-9) broke open a close game late and run-ruled Carson-Newman (30-20) in six innings with a 10-2 triumph Friday on the second day of the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Championship at Byerly Park Field.

The Bears, ranked No. 15 in NCAA Division II and winners of 10 straight games, scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, and defeated the Eagles for the third time this year.  Lenoir-Rhyne is the top seed in this year's tournament while Carson-Newman is seeded fourth.

Lenoir-Rhyne remains in the winner's bracket and will take on second-seeded Catawba (36-13) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.  Catawba defeated sixth-seeded Queens (23-26) today by a 9-4 score.

Lenoir-Rhyne junior catcher Sarah Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and sophomore shortstop Madison Carter (Bessemer City, N.C.) added three hits and three runs batted in to lead the Bears to the win.  Carter's run-scoring single in the fifth frame broke a two-all and proved to be the game-winning hit.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior Maryann Hoskins (Havelock, N.C.) improved to 18-6 on the year after pitching over five scoreless innings of relief in addition to five strikeouts.  Hoskins has won both games for the Bears in the league tournament so far.

For Carson-Newman, Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) drove in both of the Eagles' runs in the first inning but Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) fell to 20-12 on the year after taking the loss.