Hurlers shine in C-N’s twin-bill sweep of LMU
April 2, 2021

Hurlers shine in C-N’s twin-bill sweep of LMU

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman pitching combined to strike out 20 batters in 3-1 and 9-3 victories over Lincoln Memorial to snap a five-game losing streak Friday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex getting back in the win column in South Atlantic Conference play.

VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Tom Griffin Interview

VIDEO: Kilian Daughtry Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman pitching combined to strike out 20 batters in 3-1 and 9-3 victories over Lincoln Memorial to snap a five-game losing streak Friday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex getting back in the win column in South Atlantic Conference play.

"Coe set the tone for us commanding all three pitches," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "He was able to throw his change-up which is something he hasn't throw a lot of but it was very effective today so it was a third thing he could use in his arsenal. I thought he and [Brendan] Krob were really on the same page, good rhythm and control of the game. As hitters you have a guy that looks like he has great command that if you get a couple runs and get a lead you feel pretty comfortable and I think that's what happened today."

The Eagles continued their winning ways at home improved to 13-1 at home stretching the winning streak to 11, the first double-digit home winning streak since a span of 13 in 2010. Carson-Newman (17-9, 12-6) had lost seven straight meetings at home to Lincoln Memorial (11-18, 8-14) winning a game for the first time since March 1, 2014.

Kilian Daughtry (Simpsonville, S.C.) paced the day offensively for the Eagles with four hits in seven at bats driving in a team-high four runs. Gunnar Ricketts (Hixson, Tenn.) reached base safely in five of his seven plate appearances.

"I remember the last time we talked I said that I can't get behind in counts," Daughtry said. "That was the first thing so if that pitch was there I need to drive it and not foul it. I thought I did a better job hitting the first pitch hard. I think we have a good group of older guys that have been here for four years. The guys that were here before us taught us a lot. The older guys tell the young guys that it's fine and we will be okay and I think that's what we saw today."

Four pitchers combined to yield 12 total hits in 16 innings fanning 20 batters including a season-high 15 in the second game. The Eagles punched out a batter in 11 of the 16 frames with eight stanzas of two-plus strikeouts.

Game One: Carson-Newman 3, Lincoln Memorial 0 (7 Innings)

Daughtry rifled the first pitch of the second inning down the right-field line for a lead-off double. After the next two batters were retired, Charlie Brown (Sevierville, Tenn.) pushed a two-bagger to right field to get the Eagles on the board first at 1-0.

Zuriel Collins produced the first hit of the game slapping a base knock to center field moving to second base on a balk with two outs. Tyler Adams powered a ball off of the top of the fence to bring in Collins to tie the score at one.

The score remained tied until there was two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Jordan Griffin (Ellerslie, Ga.) hit a slicing fly ball to center field that cleared that wall to put the Eagles back on top 2-1.

Carson-Newman loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with no one out but settled for one run on an RBI ground out to shortstop by Tyler Thompson (Gallatin, Tenn.) to give the home club a 3-1 pad.

Brayden Coe (Bridgeville, Pa.) worked around a lead-off single in the seventh to secure the win. It was the second complete game of the year for the right-hander. He allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks fanning five to improve to 4-0 in 2021.

There were a combined nine hits in the game with C-N leading the way 5-4. Brown was the only player on either side with multiple hits going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Patrick Queener was hit with the loss for LMU throwing a season-high five innings surrendering three earned runs on four hits and two walks with five punch outs.

Game Two: Carson-Newman 9, Lincoln Memorial 3

Griffin's group wasted no time to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. With the bases loaded and one out, Daughtry shoveled a single through the right side of the infield to get two runs home. Ricketts raced across the plate with two outs on a wild pitch.

Evan Porter had retired seven straight batters before plunking Ricketts with two outs in the third inning. Daughtry followed with the second triple of his career blasting a ball to the wall in right-center field to bring Ricketts home. Matt Parkinson (Whitesboro, N.Y.) slapped a knock to right field swelling the bulge to 5-0.

Lincoln Memorial plated a pair in the fifth inning. Zuriel Collins ambushed the first pitch of the inning over the left-center field fence for his second long ball of the year. A pair of two-out walks opened the door. An infield single allowed a hustling Adams to score from second after a wild throw to the plate. A sliding catch in right field by Griffin ended the threat and kept C-N on top 5-2.

The Eagles responded by striking for three runs in the fifth frame. Daughtry flopped a base hit into right field to bring home Zach Boze (Gallatin, Tenn.). Two wild pitches brought in two runs and the margin extended to 8-2.

LMU tacked one run on in the eighth on a misjudge pop up and C-N answered with a sacrifice fly to center field by Thompson to get the game to the final margin of 9-3.

Matt Coles (Winter Garden, Fla.) earned his third win of the year hurling four scoreless innings punching out four scattering three hits and one walk.

Tyler Shaver (Dandridge, Tenn.) fanned nine over 4 1/3 innings giving up one run on three hits to seal his first save of the year. All told, three pitchers combined to strike out 15 batters matching a season high for the third time.

Daughtry paced the group going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Boze added a 2-for-4 line while Ricketts scored thrice reaching base all four times.

Evan Porter had fired at least six innings in each of his last five outings but was yanked after 4 1/3 innings allowing eight earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

Brandon Parrott went 3-for-3 with a run scored as the rest of team mustered five hits totaling eight total knocks in the contest.

The two teams are set to square off in the final two games of the four-game series starting at noon on Saturday. Both games air on cneagles.com/live with audio and video options available from the Eagle Sports Network.

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