Lamson's walk-off double lifts Eagles past Limestone in extras, 11-10
Feb. 17, 2009
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Corey Lamson's (Gray, Tenn.) double to right field in the bottom of the 10th inning drove in Tyler Wynn (LaGrange, Ga.) for the winning run, as the No. 12 Carson-Newman baseball team defeated Limestone 11-10 Tuesday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
Lamson went 3-for-3 on the day with three doubles after entering the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning.
"Corey Lamson did a great job today of going backside when he needed to," C-N coach Tom Griffin said of Lamson's hitting. "That's a big win for us because Limestone is a very good club."
The Eagles improve to 8-3 on the year, while Limestone falls to 6-4.
Senior relief pitcher Corbin Ariail (Elgin, S.C.) (2-0) entered the game in the seventh inning and shut out the Saints over the next four innings to earn the win. Ariail allowed just two hits and had one strikeout on the day.
"We struggled a little bit pitching, but the key I think was Corbin Ariail coming in and giving us some shutout innings," Griffin said. "I think that was huge."
C-N pounded out 14 hits led by a three-hit performance from shortstop Mills Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.), including two doubles and a home run. Wynn also had three hits, including a home run.
The Saints finished with 12 hits, including five home runs. Aldo Mendez had three hits, two of which were home runs, with five RBI to lead Limestone. Joseph Maloney also had three hits with a pair of home runs.
Limestone reliever Matt Crisp (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up one run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.
After Mendez gave Limestone a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run home run, the Eagles responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs on four hits to take a 3-2 lead.
Rogers led off the first inning with a double to left field and later scored on a Derek Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.) sacrifice fly. C-N second baseman Aaron Vargas (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) tied the game at 2-2 after scoring on a Limestone error later in the inning. Tyler Kitts' (Knoxville, Tenn.) single to right then drove in Wynn for the final run of the inning.
Limestone answered in the top of the second with another long ball, as Maloney crushed a leadoff home run to center field to tie the game at 3-3.
Rogers joined in on the home run action as he blasted a solo homer in the bottom of the second to put C-N back on top at 4-3, but Limestone once again fought back to regain the lead in the top of the third. The Saints grabbed a 5-4 lead after Tim Welsh drove in a run on a fielder's choice and David Christy drove home a run on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Limestone added a run in the top of the fourth to push its lead to 6-4 on an Adam Vafides home run to left field.
The Saints put four more runs on the board in the top of the sixth on two swings of the bat. Maloney crushed his second homer of the day to left field to give Limestone a 7-4 lead. Mendez later launched a three-run home run to left field to push the Saints' cushion to 10-4.
However, C-N rallied to tie the game at 10-10 in the home half of the sixth with six runs on six hits. Wynn blasted a two-run shot to left field to start the rally. Cody Nix (Cartersville, Ga.), Rogers and pinch hitter Morgan Gregory (Nashville, Tenn.) each had a RBI double in the inning, while pinch hitter Wesley Dozier (Cornelius, N.C.) scored on a Saints error for the Eagles.
"We had some guys come off the bench, and I think anytime you get pinch hit singles like that it kind of revs your bench up a little bit," Griffin said. "The momentum kind of changed a little bit."
The Eagles return to action on Wednesday in a road matchup against Anderson (S.C.). First pitch is set for 3 p.m. in Anderson, S.C.
