Eagles snap MHU’s home winning streak, win series opener 5-3
MARS HILL, N.C. – Pitching, defense and ninth-inning offense was Carson-Newman’s (22-16, 12-13 SAC) recipe to a series-opening win over Mars Hill (19-20-1, 14-10-1 SAC) 5-3 on Friday afternoon at Henderson field.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
VIDEO: Brock Culpepper Interview
MARS HILL, N.C. – Pitching, defense and ninth-inning offense was Carson-Newman's (22-16, 12-13 SAC) recipe to a series-opening win over Mars Hill (19-20-1, 14-10-1 SAC) 5-3 on Friday afternoon at Henderson field.
Carson-Newman snaps MHU's nine-game home winning streak, the third longest active such streak in DII. The Eagles become just the third conference team and fourth overall to win at Mars Hill this season.
C-N improves to 12-6 on the road this season and has now won eight of its last nine road games.
"When you win game one on the road it's big," Carson-Newman head coach Tom Griffin said. "Especially against a club that was really hot at home and a good club overall. Pitching was amazing for us and for them as well. It was a pitching and defensive game. Brock Culpepper was amazing. He did a phenomenal job and we really needed that. For the defense and pitching to keep us in that game. Really good win against a quality team. It's a good day."
Carson-Newman loaded the bases with two outs in the opening inning. Each hitter reached on a freebie, but the Eagles failed to convert on the two-out chance.
The Eagles would convert on opportunities in the second inning. A hit by pitch and singled got runners on the corners with no one out. On a Carson Cochran (Franklin, Tenn.) ground ball, MHU's shortstop could not start the double play allowing a C-N run to score.
With a runner at third, Maddox Greene (Deep Gap, N.C.) grounded out to score a second run in the frame to make it 2-0. Logan Floyd (Adairsville, Ga.) followed with a two-out single to cap a three-run second inning for the Eagles.
The Lions would get two runs back in the fourth inning. Alejandro Aguilar homered with one out to cut the C-N lead to 3-2 after four innings.
MHU played small back in the sixth inning to tie the game. After consecutive one-out singles, Evan Ashe placed down a sac bunt to score a run from third to level the score at 3.
Carson-Newman had an excellent chance to take the lead back in the top of the seventh. Singles from Greene and Floyd started the inning and Soto Diaz was walked to load the bases with nobody out. But, MHU turned a double play and got a fly out to escape the bases loaded jam.
Brock Culpepper (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) was terrific out of C-N's bullpen. MHU baserunners reached against him in the seventh and eighth innings but worked around it to pitch scoreless innings to keep things tied at three entering the ninth inning.
The Eagles offense went right to work in the top of the ninth. Floyd drew a leadoff walk and then Soto Diaz delivered. The senior tripled to right to score Floyd to give the Eagles the lead 4-3.
An insurance run came soon after. Sebastian Rodriguez (Greensboro, N.C.) scored Soto Diaz from third with a sac fly to center to extend the Eagles lead to 5-3.
MHU did pose a threat in the bottom half of the ninth. After Culpepper retired the first two batters, he walked the next two to bring the winning run to the plate. The senior finished off his stellar relief outing by getting pinch-hitter Max LaLime to hit into a fielder's choice to secure the win.
Culpepper earned his third win of the year by tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with a pair of strikeouts.
"Everything was feeling good," Culpepper said. "I had a week to recover and just got to go out there and have fun."
Aiden Gibson (Cleveland, Tenn.) led three Eagles with multi-hit days. The senior went three for four at the plate and scored a run.
Logan Floyd and Braxton Smith (Cleveland, Tenn.) each had two hit performances. Overall, four different Eagles drove in a run.
MHU's Brady Stephens suffered his second loss of the year, pitching the final two innings and allowing two runs.
The series continues and concludes tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader starting at noon. A video stream of the weekend series is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/flobase.
