Eagles score nine unanswered runs to defeat Shorter 10-6
ROME, Ga. – After falling behind 6-1, the Carson-Newman Eagles (3-1) scored at least one run in each of the final six innings to storm past the Shorter Hawks (0-4) 10-6 Wednesday afternoon at the Robert H. Ledbetter Baseball Complex.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 2 |
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0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 4 |
ROME, Ga. – After falling behind 6-1, the Carson-Newman Eagles (3-1) scored at least one run in each of the final six innings to storm past the Shorter Hawks (0-4) 10-6 Wednesday afternoon at the Robert H. Ledbetter Baseball Complex.
"The best part today was the two strike hitting," head coach Tom Griffin said about the offensive performance. "A lot of guys had base hits in RBI situations with two strikes on them. It goes to show we competed very well at the plate."
It was a 6-1 Shorter advantage to start the fifth inning. The first two Eagles were retired. Junior outfielder Evan Kirkpatrick (Jefferson City, Tenn.) singled and scored on a line drive double down the left field line by junior outfielder Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.). Junior outfielder Cody Fox, (Seymour, Tenn.) who extended his hitting streak to four games with a triple in the fourth inning, lined a single to right field to pull Carson-Newman within three runs.
The visiting team continued their two-out success in the sixth inning when senior second basemen Peter Rajkovich (Stockton, Calif.) laced a triple to deep left center field to score junior shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.). Rajkovich scored on a bloop single to right field by sophomore designated hitter Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) to make it a 6-5 game.
Carson-Newman tied the game and took the lead in the seventh inning. With one out, junior first basemen Evan Jurjevic (New Carlisle, Ind.) reached on an error. Sophomore third basemen Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) smacked a double off of the glove of Hawks' first basemen Brian Matthews's glove to tie the game. After Roberts went to third base on a balk, Everhart lined a single to left field to bring home the go-ahead run.
After the first two pitchers for the Eagles allowed ten hits, junior right-hander Michael Cogliano (Medford, N.J.) righted the ship. Cogliano struck out four batters in two innings of work. The combination of Cogliano, junior righty Carson Bryant (Fletcher, N.C.), senior righty Lucas Watson (Gatlinburg, Tenn.) and Daniel Sharp (Johnson City, Tenn.) allowed one walk and two hits while striking out ten batters in five innings of work.
"We have a veteran club," Griffin said of the turnaround. "I'm not going to have any talks in the dugout explaining what we have to do. As a coach, sometimes you just have to step aside and let the players play the game."
The Eagles scored a run in the eighth on a wild pitch and kept the onslaught going in the ninth stanza. Roberts led off the inning with a single and scored on a double by Everhart. Tipton brought home Everhart on a line drive single to right to put Carson-Newman on top 10-6.
Seven different players had at least two hits while Rajkovich (3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored) and Joe Tipton (3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs) notched three hits each.
"I think all through the lineup guys had some key hits for us," Griffin said of the complete team effort. "I think also defensively we played a better ball game. We didn't give up extra outs."
The Eagles take Thursday off prior to hosting a three-game series against the Brevard Tornados beginning Friday at 2 p.m. Pregame coverage begins on the Eagle Sports Network ten minutes prior to the first pitch of each contest.
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