GAFFNEY, S.C. – Using some late-inning dramatics, the Limestone College baseball team opened the 2018 season with a pair of walk-off wins to sweep a doubleheader from Carson-Newman University on Friday, February 2 at a slightly chilled Founders FCU Stadium.
The Saints rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to capture the season-opener, 9-8, over the Eagles before a walkoff homerun in extra innings gave the Blue and Gold a 4-3 decision in the nightcap.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 9, Carson-Newman 8
Records: Limestone (1-0), Carson-Newman (0-1)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Sophomore catcher Ryan Williams (Rich Square, N.C.) homered and tallied a walk-off double
- Junior Zach Piazza (Huntingtown, Md.) posted two hits, including a homerun, and two RBIs
- Senior Matt Orth (Asheboro, N.C.) crushed a two-run homerun
- Junior Chase Allen (Sharpsburg, Ga.) added an RBI base knock
- Junior Ryan Creps (Indiana, Pa.) recorded a pair of hits, including a double
- Junior Channing Painton (Marietta, Ga.) doubled and scored a run
- Senior starter Anders DeShields (Duncan, S.C.) struck out six over four innings in a no-decision
- Junior Eric Mullinax (Greenville, S.C.) picked up the win in two innings out of the bullpen
HOW IT HAPPENED
DeShields stranded a pair of runners to start the year for the Saints before the offense pushed across its first runs of the 2018 campaign in the bottom of the frame. Following a leadoff double by Painton, Limestone took advantage of two C-N errors, including a two-run, two-out mishap, for a quick 2-0 lead.
The Eagles tied the game in the third on a two-run homerun by Ethan Goforth, but the Blue and Gold would respond with two runs in the home half of the inning. Piazza reached on a popup that found the infield grass before Orth blasted a two-run shot over the fence in right-centerfield to make it a 4-2 game.
Limestone extended the margin on an RBI by Piazza in the fourth, but Carson-Newman countered with a single run in the fifth before posting three runs in the seventh to take its first lead of the day, 6-5. That lead would be short-lived, however, as the Saints rallied with homeruns in back-to-back innings.
One of the top homerun hitters in the nation a year ago, Piazza tied the contest emphatically with his first dinger of the season before Williams put the home team back in front, 7-6, with a leadoff homerun in the eighth. However, the Eagles would storm back with a pair of runs in the ninth to retake the lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Piazza work a leadoff walk and then scored the tying run three batters later on an RBI single by Allen. With one gone and the go-ahead runner on second, Williams laced the game-winning double into the rightfield gap as the Saints won the season-opener, 9-8, in walk-off fashion.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 4, Carson-Newman 3
Records: Limestone (2-0), Carson-Newman (0-2)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Orth hit a walk-off solo homerun in the bottom of the eighth for his only hit of the nightcap
- Williams added an RBI double in an impressive debut for the Saints
- Allen and Creps both chipped in an RBI single in the second game
- Junior starter Alex Grooms (Kings Mountain, N.C.) struck out five over five innings of work
- Sophomore Taylor Moose (Charleston, N.C.) earned the win in relief
HOW IT HAPPENED
Following two scoreless innings to start the nightcap, Carson-Newman drew first blood with two runs in the third on a two-out knock by Goforth. The Saints got one of those back in the home half, capitalizing on a leadoff double by sophomore
Trace Whetsell (Gilbert, S.C.) as Creps came through with an RBI knock.
Trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, Allen tied the game with an RBI single to left before Williams pushed home the go-ahead run with an opposite-field double into the leftfield corner. The lead would not hold up, however, as the Eagles tied the game at 3-all in the top of the seventh.
After Moose sat the side down in order for the Blue and Gold in the top of the eighth, Orth sent the crowd home happy as he unloaded on a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the rightfield wall for a walk-off solo homerun.
UP NEXT
The Saints will wrap up its three-game series with Carson-Newman on Saturday, February 3 at 10 a.m. before taking on Pfeiffer University in a single game at 1 p.m. The Eagles and Falcons will then square off to close opening weekend at 4 p.m.