JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Finishing off the home portion of its schedule, Carson-Newman saw its comeback bid finish a pitch shy in an 8-7 loss in game one before falling 16-7 to put a bow on the South Atlantic Conference series against 12th-ranked Tusculum Monday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
Carson-Newman (20-12, 15-9) drew 24 walks and tallied 32 hits on the weekend, 14 of which went for extra bases. Tyler Thompson (Gallatin, Tenn.) led the program in base hits with six over 15 at bats while Kilian Daughtry (Simpsonville, S.C.) finished with five RBIs and five hits.
Game One: No. 12 Tusculum 8, Carson-Newman 7 (7 Innings)
Thompson opened the bottom of the first frame with a hard hit ground ball past the third baseman and into the corner for a lead-off double. Two batters later, Harrison Travis (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) punched a bouncer over the mound and into center field to bring in the game's first run.
With two men aboard by a hit batter and a walk, Trey Hinton grounded a two-out base hit through the right side of the infield to tie the score at one in the second inning. The Eagles added a run in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly by Thompson to go back ahead 2-1.
Brandon Trammell singled in a run in the third and drew a two-out bases loaded walk in the fourth to put the Pioneers on top 3-2.
C-N pulled level in the bottom of the fifth behind a base hit down the right-field line by Matt Parkinson (Whitesboro, N.Y.) with one out equalizing the game at three.
Tusculum exploded for five runs in the sixth innings thanks to four walks and a hit batter. Trammell launched a ground-rule double to right-center field to bring in a pair and the visiting club ahead by a pair. Zane Keener added to the lead with two outs with a double to right field and Daalen Adderley capped the big frame with a base knock to left to give the Piooners an 8-3 lead.
It was a five-run game entering the bottom of the seventh. Thompson led off the inning with a double to center field and the Eagles loaded the bases with no one out. A hit batter and two walks trimmed the score to 8-6. After a pop out, Charlie Brown (Sevierville, Tenn.) drew a walk to inch the Eagles within a run at 8-7 with one out. Mitch McCain picked up a punch out and induced a pop out to first base to end the game and seal his seventh save of the year.
Carson-Newman's pitching staff allowed a season-high nine walks in the game hitting three batters as the club outhit the Pioneers 7-6 in the contest. Thompson and Parkinson each had a pair of pokes to lead the home club's offense.
Trammell paced the Pioneers with four RBIs posting two knocks. Hinton chipped in a two hits with an RBI and a run scored.
Game Two: No. 12 Tusculum 16, Carson-Newman 7
The Eagles opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Daughtry laced a single back up the middle and into center field to score Thompson with one out putting the home crew ahead 1-0.
Tusculum kick started a two-out rally in the top of the second inning with Chase Wullenweber driving in a pair to put the Pioneers ahead 2-1.
Carson-Newman found the answer again in the bottom of the second. Following a lead-off walk, Charlie Brown (Sevierville, Tenn.) launched a 1-2 delivery over the fence in left field to give the Eagles the lead back. Micah Genter (Jasper, Tenn.) doubled and came in to score on a single to center field by Thompson giving C-N a 4-2 edge.
Trammell pulled Tusculum within a run with a one out homer to straightaway center field. Once again with two outs, the Pioneers ignited a two-out rally. Murphy Flood hit a high pop up down the right field line that dropped just out of the reach of the Eagles to tie the score. Hinton put the Pioneers on top with a double to the gap in left-center field.
The Eagles pulled level in the fourth inning after a balk and a throwing error scored a pair making it a 6-6 ball game heading to the fifth.
In the sixth, the No. 12 team in the country plated three as Bryson Ford gave the club a lead with a one-out double to the alley in right-center field. Back-to-back run-producing knocks by Fuzzy Furr and Adderley put the Eagles in a 9-6 hole.
Tusculum added six in the eighth and one more in the ninth before a sacrifice fly by Zach Brook (Mount Royal, N.J.) ended the scoring burst to get the score to a 16-7 final.
Daughtry produced a pair of the team's nine hits in the game with Brown provided a team-leading two RBIs. Five of the six pitchers used by the Orange and Blue allowed a run.
Alec Lay took home the win firing 3 1/3 scoreless innings after entering the game with two total innings pitched on the year. Nine Pioneers knocked home a run led by three apiece from Hinton and Wullenweber.
The Eagles get a quick turnaround before returning to league action on Wednesday when they travel to Newberry for a noon first pitch in a doubleheader making up half of a March series that was cancelled due to Covid concerns.
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