Bullpen, two-out hitting keys #24/19 C-N to a series opening win over Limestone
No. 24/19 Carson-Newman (17-6, 8-2 SAC) scored six of its eight runs with two outs and 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball from its bullpen to win the series opener over Limestone (12-13, 6-7 SAC) 8-3 on Friday evening in Gaffney, South Carolina.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
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1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
GAFFNEY, S.C. – No. 24/19 Carson-Newman (17-6, 8-2 SAC) scored six of its eight runs with two outs and got 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball from its bullpen to win the series opener over Limestone (12-13, 6-7 SAC) 8-3 on Friday evening in Gaffney, South Carolina.
"This was a hard-fought game by both teams," Carson-Newman head coach Tom Griffin said. "The pitching staff worked out of some situations with runners on but at the same time we created the problem with walks. We had balance with the offense throughout the lineup today and were able to get important two out hits. The double play in the eighth inning was big."
Carson-Newman has now won eight of the past nine meetings with the Saints and improves to 5-1 in series openers with the win.
Limestone's Adams Faucett singled with one out and moved all the way to third on a stolen base and a passed ball in the bottom of the first. He later scored on a RBI groundout to give the Saints the 1-0 advantage.
Carson-Newman did all of its work in the top of the second with two outs. Two runners reached and then C-N compiled three consecutive singles. Ryan Bolton (Knoxville, Tenn.) singled into right field and Faucett mishandled the ball, allowing two runs to score on the play and the Eagles jumped in front. Trey Miller (Rocky Point, NY) and Ryan Jenkins (Winter Haven, Fla.) followed with two-out singles as well and Carson-Newman's lead was 4-1 in the second.
The Saints managed to get a run back in the bottom of the third. After back-to-back singles to start the inning, Ryan Higgins (Spotsylvania, Va.) recovered well by giving up a RBI groundout and then recorded back-to-back strikeouts to keep C-N in front by two runs after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, the Eagles would add a run to their lead. Cole Nathan (Knoxville, Tenn.) singled and Bolton moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Miller drove Nathan in with a RBI double down the left field line to make it 5-2 Eagles after four innings.
For the second time in the game, Limestone put its first two runners of an inning on base. A sac bunt pushed them into scoring position with one out. Higgins got the second out of the inning with a strikeout. The Saints would get a run on a passed ball with two outs, but C-N's lead was still two.
The Eagles pushed the advantage back to three in the top of the sixth inning. Aiden Gibson (Cleveland, Tenn.) led off the inning with a triple and later scored on Nathan's groundout.
C-N needed its bullpen to be effective down the stretch. Mark Salicco (Waxhaw, N.C.) did his part, recording the final out of the sixth inning and forced the Saints to leave the bases loaded. An error allowed a runner to reach in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Salicco got a pop out and a groundout to blank Limestone once more.
He started the eighth inning but allowed a single and walked a batter to put runners on first and second. In came Eli Norris (Ringgold, Ga.), who allowed the first batter he faced to single into left field to load the bases with nobody out. Norris locked in from there. He struck out Zach Greenberg and forced Jermie Greene to hit into an inning-ending double play to blank the Saints in the eighth inning.
Carson-Newman would pad onto its lead in the ninth inning. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with two outs and pinch-hitter Frankie Delgado (Deltona, Fla.) singled into left field, plating two runs to give C-N comfort in the ninth.
Norris stayed in the game and sent the Saints down in order in the bottom of the ninth to record his fourth save of the season and has second six-out save. He led a bullpen attack that combined to throw 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball and as a group recorded four strikeouts, allowing just three hits.
Floyd, Miller and Nathan each had two hit days to pace C-N's 10 hit attack. Half of Carson-Newman's hits came with two outs. Delgado and Miller each had a team-high two RBI.
Higgins won his fifth game of the year, allowing two earned runs while striking out six batters.
Limestone starting pitcher Colt Wilkins was the losing pitcher, going seven innings with just one strikeout.
Adams Faucett had three of Limestone's eight hits.
The series wraps up tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. A video stream is available on FloSports with a subscription.
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