March 22, 2008

Final Stats

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Matt Webb came through with a two-out, walk-off single in the 12th inning of game two as Tusculum College completed a doubleheader sweep over No. 27 Carson-Newman College Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference baseball action at Pioneer Park. Tusculum erupted for an 11-run inning to win 16-5 in the opener. The Pioneers edged the Eagles in the night-cap 3-2 in a 12-inning thriller.

The Pioneers win the weekend series 2-1, improving their record to 21-10 overall and 9-8 in the conference. Carson-Newman has its six-game winning streak halted as the Eagles fall to 24-11, 9-6 SAC.

Tusculum's Christian Rosa, the reigning SAC Player of the Week, batted 7-for-12 on the day, including two doubles and two RBI.

Game 1: Tusculum 16, No. 27 Carson-Newman 5

Rosa went 4-for-6 in the first game and Tusculum sent 16 batters to the plate in an 11-run sixth inning as the Pioneers prevailed 16-5.

The Pioneers rattled off 18 hits, including three each by Maikol Gonzalez (Maracibo, Venezuela) and Marc Hyndsman (Morristown, N.J.) while Carlos Rivera (Leesburg, Va.), Dustin Morrow (Lexington, Ky.) and Aaron Hudgins (Kingsport, Tenn.) posted two hits apiece.

Carson-Newman was led at the plate by Nick Achberger (Anderson, S.C.) as he went 3-for-3 in the opener, while Langdon Potts (Dandridge, Tenn.) accounted for a pair of doubles for the Eagles. C-N's Mills Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.) also went 2-for-4, while Corey Lamson (Gray, Tenn.) clubbed his fourth home run of the season.

TC starter Boo Morrow (Lexington, Ky.) improved his record to 3-0 on the season as he went seven innings, allowed three hits, three runs, two earned, walked two and posted four strikeouts. C-N starter Jeremy Yoder ( Valdese, N.C.) suffered the loss (2-4) as he never got out of the first inning as the Pioneers plated five runs in the opening frame.

C-N got on the scoreboard first when Cory McGinnis (Morristown, Tenn.) drew a lead-off walk, moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt at first base and later scored on Achberger's two-out single. Tusculum answered with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the inning as TC batted around for the first of two occasions in the game. Gonzalez and Morrow came through with RBI singles, while Hyndsman followed with a two-run single as TC led 5-1.

The Eagles cut into the deficit with two runs in the third as Achberger doubled home Potts and Derek Long's (Jefferson City, Tenn.) sacrifice fly brought in Wesley Dozier (Cornelius, N.C.) as C-N trailed 5-3.

The score would remain that way until the sixth as the Pioneers sealed the victory with an 11-run outburst on nine hits and capitalizing on three C-N errors. In the inning, Gonzalez scored twice and drove in three with a two-run triple and a RBI double. Rosa also had two hits and two RBI in the inning for the Pioneers.

Game 2: Tusculum 3, No. 27 Carson-Newman 2 (12 innings)

Webb (Duluth, Ga.) went 2-for-5 and drove in the winning run with his two-out single in the bottom of the 12th as the Pioneers won the night-cap 3-2 in one of the most exciting games in the history of the rivalry between the two East Tennessee schools.

Both teams produced outstanding pitching performances with Tusculum's Mat Galens (Louisville, Ky.) throwing 5 2/3 innings of stellar relief to record the victory. Galens didn't allow a run as he scattered two hits, walked three and struck out four to improve to 3-0 on the year.

Tusculum jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run each in the second and fourth innings. In the second, Sean Cotten (Mooresville, N.C.) reached on a one-out infield single and later scored on a fielder's choice by Paul Finger (Lincolnton, N.C.). In the fourth, Gonzalez led off with a base hit, moved up to third on Webb's single and later scored on a fly ball by Cotten as TC led 2-0.

Carson-Newman tied the game with a run in the fifth and sixth innings. Potts scored the first run for C-N when he walked, stole second and scored on a base-hit by Lamson. In the sixth, Jason Gray (Rutledge, Tenn.) tripled to center field and later scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 2-2.

Each team had opportunities to take the lead in the seventh. For C-N, Long drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a base hit by Achberger. Galens took the mound, replacing reliever Tio McLean (Laurel Hill, N.C.) and a ground out and a fly out to end the threat. In the bottom of the seventh, Rosa led with a single, but was thrown out at second by E.T. McCreary (Rockwood, Tenn.) on a pitch out, eventually sending the contest into extra innings.

C-N mounted a serious threat in the top of the 12th when Achberger led off with a double to the gap in left field. Achberger was injured sliding into second and would leave the game for pinch runner Evan Patterson. Patterson (Knoxville, Tenn.) would be stranded at second as Lamson flied out to left field, Rogers struck out and Gray hit into a fielder's choice as the score remaining deadlocked at 2-2.

In the bottom of the frame, Hudgins was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Rosa flied out to right field for the second out of the inning. C-N walked Rivera and Gonzalez intentionally to load the bases, setting the plate for Webb. Webb took the first offering from Corbin Ariail and singled to left under the glove of the diving McGinnis at third base to score Hudgins with the winning score.

Rosa (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) finished 3-for-6 in the game, while Cotten and Eric Conley (Knoxville, Tenn.) also had multi-hit performances. Achberger and Potts each tallied two hits in the loss for the Eagles.

Ariail (1-2) suffered the loss, despite an outstanding pitching performance as he tossed six innings, where he allowed three hits, a run, two walks and recorded four strikeouts.

Tusculum returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts Montevallo for a 6 p.m. game at Pioneer Park. Carson-Newman will be at home on Tuesday as the Eagles entertain Belmont Abbey for a doubleheader at the Silver Diamond Complex.

- TC -