VIDEO: Henry Jackson Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – In a game where the rain poured for nearly two hours, Carson-Newman led by as many as nine runs and scored the final four to seal its 10th victory of the year beating UVA Wise 16-12 on Tuesday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
"You get 16 hits and score 16 runs you should win the game," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "It ain't rocket science. We were able to put up a lot of runs. You were getting a different pitcher and you have to be able to adapt and adjust. You have to do that quickly. It's a learning process for some of our younger guys. You can't wait until you get in the box. You have to be doing that while you are watching the game. Overall, phenomenal job at the plate."
Carson-Newman (10-3) has beaten UVA Wise (3-7) in 11 consecutive clashes putting up double-digit runs for the sixth time in that stretch. The Eagles racked up its most runs since beating the Cavaliers 18-5 on March 6, 2021, a span of 42 games and 352 days.
The top three in the Orange and Blue's lineup went a combined 9-for-15 with nine RBIs and five runs scored led by Henry Jackson (Waxhaw, N.C.) who went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs and two runs scored.
"The coaches did a really good job especially coach Griff to work on that curveball trying to get the barrel out," Jackson said. "It's props to them and my teammates pushing them every morning so it's been really good. We just have to make sure we don't take the pedal off. We have to keep with our mentality."
Jordan Griffin (Ellerslie, Ga.) went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as he has reached base safely in 11 plate appearances in a row. The Division II record is 15 set by Douglas Hargett of North Alabama in April 2002.
Gunnar Ricketts (Hixson, Tenn.) added a 2-for-6 day with two RBIs and two runs scored. Ryan Potts (Dandridge, Tenn.) finished a triple shy of the cycle going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and four runs scored, all of which are new career bests.
The bullpen duo of Hunter Harritan (Huntersville, N.C.) and Jake Wright retired the final eight batters of the game with five punch outs. Overall the pitching staff recorded 15 strikeouts, the most since fanning 15 on Feb. 17, 2021 against Lee, 51 games and 369 days ago.
Carson-Newman's lumber exploded in the second stanza scoring five times all with two outs and sending 10 men to the plate in the inning. Bryce Hanley (Greenback, Tenn.) opened the scoring with a line drive into right field to bring home a run. Five pitches later, Jackson blasted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left-center field. The next batter, Ricketts went opposite field driving a 1-0 offering to left field to make it back-to-back homer and put the Eagles on top 5-0.
Wise wasted no time getting back into the contest. After a lead-off walk, Hunter Meador ripped an RBI double into the alley in left-center field to get the visitors on the board. With one out, Cole Harness ambushed the first pitch and blasted it out of the yard to right field to draw the Cavs within two at 5-3. It was the seventh straight game the team hit a long ball.
The Eagles produced their biggest scoring inning of the season racking up seven runs in the fourth to blow open the contest and make it 12-3. Back-to-back run producing hits by Ricketts and Griffin a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly opened the scoring. Potts provided the exclamation point with his first career homer launching a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left field for a three-run roundtripper.
As the rain pelted the playing surface in the seventh, Wise scored seven times to inch within two at 12-10. Ten men stepped to the plate with Clay Taylor and Meador driving in runs with two-out singles. Tyler Campbell belted a three-run homer to right field and Justin Reed hit a two-run shot to center to finish the damage.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Cavaliers tied the score. With one out and a man on, Shyheim Pannell cranked a two-run blast to straightaway center field to level the terms at 12.
Potts led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to left field and came in to score on a throwing error by the third baseman on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Jackson hit a sacrifice fly to left field as the Eagles led 14-12 after seven.
C-N added two more in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a two-out, two-run single to center field by Jackson on a 0-2 pitch to make it a 16-12 affair.
Four different Cavaliers launched home runs with Campbell leading the way at the plate with three RBIs and two hits. Three other players had a pair of pokes and two had a pair of RBIs.
Six of the nine pitchers, none throwing more than an inning, in the game yielded runs for the visitors with Devin Mathis taking his first loss of the season.
The Eagles continue their homestand starting South Atlantic Conference play against the No. 1 team in the country as Wingate comes to town for a three-game set starting on Friday at 2 p.m. All three games will air on the Eagle Sports Network by visiting cneagles.com/live for audio and video streams.
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