Eagles Drop Lincoln Memorial for First SAC Win, 8-5
March 1, 2009
HARROGATE, TN - Carson-Newman jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Railsplitters were able to get on the scoreboard in Sunday's final game of a three-game South Atlantic Conference baseball series to eventually capture an 8-5 win over LMU. The win splits the series at two games to one after winning Friday's opening two games 9-6 and 3-0.
The Eagles got their first run of the game in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Derek Long. In the top of the fourth, C-N tacked on two more runs on an RBI triple by Evan Patterson. Patterson later scored on a balk by LMU pitcher Jeff Ludlow to give Carson-Newman a 3-0 edge.
In the bottom of the fourth, LMU got one of the runs back when Eagle pitcher Wes McIntyre walked in LMU's J.R. Roden. Trailing 3-1, Carson-Newman didn't waste any time extend ing the lead back to a three-run margin when Cody Nix reached on a fielders choice, scoring teammate Derek Long int the top of the fifth.
After playing the first four innings with nearly silent bats, the Railsplitters finally managed to get some hits in the bottom of the fifth. Jo Jo Horsley singled up the middle and then stole second before scoring on an RBI double by Cody Pack. Teammate Nick Langley later singled through the right side to score Pack and suddenly it was a one run game with Carson-Newman leading 4-3.
Both teams bared down and went scoreless in the sixth inning however, in the top of the seventh, Carson-Newman took a commanding lead when they scored three runs on an RBI single by Tyler Wynn and an RBI single by Evan Patterson. The Eagles scored a third run when Aaron Vargas was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing another run across the plate.
Now trailing 7-3, the Railsplitters picked up their last two runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on an a two RBI single by Nick Langley to center field. The runs closed the gap to 7-5 in favor of Carson-Newman, but the Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning on a double by Cody Nix that scored teammate Rory Elliot. Carson-Newman shut LMU down at the plate in the bottom of the final two innings to come away with the 8-5 win.
The Eagles Wes McIntyre picked up the win to move his personal record to 3-0 this season while Carson-Newman improves to 10-8 overall and 1-4 in league play. The Railsplitter's Jeff Ludlow got the loss, falling to 0-4 on the season, while the Railsplitters fall to 10-8 overall and 2-4 in the South Atlantic Conference.
Carson-Newman will host North Georgia University on both on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday's first pitch is at 2 p.m. at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. Wednesday's in scheduled for 1 p.m.
(Courtesy Lincoln Memorial Sports Information)
