Eagles hold off UAH to stay perfect in non-conference games
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Carson-Newman (8-2) remained unbeaten in non-conference action by holding off Alabama Huntsville (4-6) 10-6 on Tuesday afternoon at Charger Park.
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VIDEO: Drew Fletcher Interview
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Carson-Newman (8-2) remained unbeaten in non-conference action by holding off Alabama Huntsville (4-6) 10-6 on Tuesday afternoon at Charger Park.
Carson-Newman is now 7-0 in non-conference games this season.
"It's all about Drew Fletcher giving us that start," Carson-Newman head coach Tom Griffin said. "We took advantage of some of their freebies and they helped us get some runners on and then get hits to put crooked numbers up early. Fletcher was outstanding, him and (Carson) Cochran were in a rhythm back there and Carson's receiving was really good today. Floyd stayed hot and Ian Hubbard had some really quality at bats as well."
Ian Hubbard (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) and Braxton Smith (Cleveland, Tenn.) both reached to start C-N's top half of the second. The nine hitter Carson Cochran (Franklin, Tenn.) delivered the game's first run, lining a base-hit into right field to make it 1-0. Maddox Greene (Deep Gap, N.C.) would finish off a two-run second with a sacrifice fly to score Smith and make it 2-0.
C-N starter Drew Fletcher (Waxhaw, N.C.) allowed just one baserunner to reach through the first three innings.
Carson-Newman's offensive pressure led to more runs in the fourth. Hubbard led off with a double and Johno Pierce (Brentwood, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch to make it first and second with nobody out. Smith, the next batter, placed a perfect bunt down the third base line that forced a throwing error to first, allowing Hubbard to score and make it 3-0.
A Cochran RBI groundout extended the lead to four with still just one out in the frame. Floyd would continue his strong day, bouncing his second hit of the afternoon up the middle to plate two runs and extend the C-N lead to 6-0 in the fourth.
C-N added more in the fifth. With runners at second and third, UAH pitcher Colman Gann balked, allowing a run to score and it was 7-0. Later in the frame, with runners still in scoring position, Smith got a good jump on a wild pitch to score and make it an 8-0 in the fifth.
UAH's only base hit off Fletcher was a two-out single in the fourth. The freshman fired his third 1-2-3 frame in the fifth, to close his second career start. In 61 pitches, Fletcher tossed five scoreless innings with two strikeouts to earn his first career win.
The Chargers would score three times in the sixth against C-N's bullpen without hitting the baseball out of the infield. Two infield hits and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. The first two UAH runs would score on a wild pitch and on a bases loaded walk to make it 8-2. Brock Culpepper (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) would come in and get a pair of ground balls to limit the damage and keep the C-N lead 8-3 after six.
The Eagles added a run after a double play and it was 9-3 with two innings to play.
UAH would slice C-N's lead in half in the eighth. The first three hitters of the inning reached base, with a run scoring on an error. A pair of RBI singles later in the inning made it a 9-6 game entering the last inning.
Floyd's third RBI of the day came in the 9th inning, driving home Evan Mutter to push the advantage to 10-6.
Eli Norris (Ringgold, Ga.) tossed a scoreless ninth to seal the win.
Floyd's three-hit and three RBI day led the offensive charge, while Hubbard produced his first career multi-hit effort.
UAH starting pitcher Jake Cardin suffered the loss allowing two runs to score on four hits in two innings of work.
Leadoff hitter Jayce Upton posted a three-hit day for the Chargers.
Carson-Newman returns to the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex for its first home South Atlantic Conference series against #6 Lenoir-Rhyne. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. A live stream of the game is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/flobase. The game can be heard on cneagles.com/live. Fans can also watch the radio crew at work with a feed of press row on YouTube.
