Wynn's home run lifts Eagles to 2-1 win over No. 6 North Georgia
March 4, 2009
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Tyler Wynn's (LaGrange, Ga.) two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning turned out to be the game-winning hit, as the Carson-Newman baseball team defeated No. 6 North Georgia 2-1 Wednesday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 12-8 on the season, while North Georgia falls to 12-6.
C-N trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Tyler Kitts (Knoxville, Tenn.) laid down a successful drag bunt to third base to begin the inning, and Wynn then stepped to the plate and crushed a home run, his third of the season, over the left field fence to put the Eagles ahead for good at 2-1.
"The bunt was big," Eagles coach Tom Griffin said. "We've been talking for a while now that we have got to create pressure for the other team, and bunting is one way to do that. Tyler Kitts had not attempted a drag bunt all year. He executed it perfectly to extend the inning, and Tyler Wynn obviously came up big."
The Eagles pitching staff had one of its better games this season, as three C-N relievers combined to give up just two hits and no runs over the final four innings of the contest. Michael Elliott (Chattanooga, Tenn.) (1-3) picked up the win after pitching a scoreless sixth inning, giving up two hits and striking out two batters.
Starter Robbie Thigpen (St. Petersburg, Fla.) went five innings, scattering five hits and allowing one unearned run, but didn't factor into the decision.
Junior Ryan Hendrickson (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) (3) earned his second save in as many opportunities with two scoreless innings of work Wednesday. He did not allow a hit and struck out four batters. Hendrickson has not allowed a run and has struck out eight batters in his last 4 2/3 innings on the mound.
"He's a strike thrower with a second pitch that he believes in but he will also use both sides of the plate," Griffin said of Hendrickson. "He's a kid who has confidence. We talk about our pitchers having confidence and believing in themselves. He's really one that does believe in himself and believes in the people behind him."
North Georgia starting hurler Matt Smith (3-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.
Six C-N players finished with one hit each, including Wynn, Kitts, Derek Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.), Zach Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.), Mills Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.) and Mason Guymon (Oak Ridge, Tenn.).
Jordan Erisman and Zach Bennett collected two hits each to lead North Georgia.
The Eagles return to action on Friday for a South Atlantic Conference matchup at Newberry. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at the Smith Road Complex in Newberry, S.C. The teams will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
