Rogers' Single Lifts C-N Past Anderson, 9-8
March 19, 2009
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Mills Rogers' (Simpsonville, S.C.) two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning drove in Evan Patterson (Knoxville, Tenn.) for the winning run, as the Carson-Newman baseball team topped Anderson University 9-8 Thursday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 16-11 on the season. Anderson falls to 16-14.
"It was a game of ups and downs," Eagles head coach Tom Griffin said. "We were up, but they came back. We could have easily folded near the end there because of the way we have been offensively, but our kids showed some toughness right there."
"We are capable of being good hitters and we have shown it but we had been in a little funk. This was a good day to come out of that."
Wesley Dozier (Cornelius, N.C.) went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs to lead C-N at the plate. Patterson and Cody Nix (Cartersville, Ga.) also finished with two hits each. Patterson finished with three runs scored.
Ryan Saxon collected three hits to lead Anderson, while B.J. Smith and Josh Grubbs added two hits apiece. Smith also scored three runs.
C-N reliever Corbin Ariail (Elgin, S.C.) (3-2) earned the win after allowing just two hits and one unearned run in 3 1/3 innings of work.
Anderson's Justin Rogers was tagged with the loss. Rogers surrendered one run on two hits in 2/3 of an inning on the mound.
After falling behind 3-2 through two and a half innings of play, the Eagles rallied to score four runs in the home half of the third to take a 6-3 lead. Dozier delivered a run-scoring double to get things started, and Rogers scored on a Trojans error. Tyler Wynn (LaGrange, Ga.) also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Corey Lamson (Gray, Tenn.) came through with a run-scoring single to cap the rally.
Anderson scrapped back over the next three innings as it scored a run in the fourth, three runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh to take an 8-6 lead, but a Dozier two-run single in the home half of the seventh tied the game at 8-8.
In the bottom of the ninth, Patterson reached on a fielder's choice and stole second to set up Rogers' walk-off single.
"In Mills' last at bat with runners on second and third, he grounded back to the pitcher and got jammed," Griffin said. "But he got another chance and handled it much better by getting a big base hit right there."
The Eagles return to action in a doubleheader on Saturday as they host South Atlantic Conference rival Tusculum. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
