May 16, 2008

TAMPA, Fla. - In game four of the NCAA II Baseball South Regional, #5 seed Carson-Newman (42-17) staved off elimination, defeating #6 seed Stillman (26-26) 7-5 to send the Tigers packing and giving the Eagles their first-ever 42-win season.

Stillman got on the board in the top of the first after two Eagle fielding errors allowed leadoff man Clay Gilliam, who singled to left field, and shortstop Bubba Fritcher to cross home plate. Carson-Newman answered back in the bottom half when, after a pair of walks by Stillman starter Chase Wilson (10-5) to start the inning, Derek Long and Nick Achberger knocked in a run each with consecutive singles through the left side of the infield. The Eagles would add a run in the third and three more in the fifth to bring the score to 6-2.

The Tigers kept it close, as they continued to receive production from designated hitter David Holcombe, who went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs on the day, including a two run homer in the sixth inning to end the afternoon for Eagles starter Wes McIntyre (6-2). Holcombe's homerun brought the Tigers back within two before Carson-Newman right-fielder Tyler win doubled and eventually came around on a wild pitch from Wilson.

Stillman started the top of the ninth with a double from Casey Orr off of reliever Jake McDonald. The rally continued when Gilliam slapped a single to right-center scoring Orr and right-hander Dustin Dalton came in to pitch. Dalton worked himself into a bases-loaded, one-out jam against the Tigers before Eagles Coach Tom Griffin pulled him in favor of Corbin Arial, who induced a game-ending ground ball double play to earn his team-leading sixth save.