WASHINGTON, Pa. – Making a comeback in game one to win 8-6, Carson-Newman split a doubleheader against California (Pa.) Saturday at Wild Things Park losing to the Vulcans 7-2 in the finale.
"Mason Mooney was good in relief," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "Near the end of the game we got things going. We didn't play well. We lost the freebie war. It was one of the games we shouldn't win but we did and it's because of Mooney. In game two we had an opportunity with bases loaded. Their catcher made a great play on a bunt. They got the big hit when they needed it with two strikes. I think overall we did not play well. We might have to try and do some different things and maximize the abilities of these guys."
Carson-Newman (6-8) had been 4-1 against teams from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference entering the day in the first meeting against a club from that league since 2011 while handing California (4-1) its first loss of the year.
Game One: CARSON-NEWMAN 8, Coker 6
The Eagles opened the scoring in the second stanza getting a pair of runs to jump ahead 2-0. Nelson Smith (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) drew a lead-off walk. Back-to-back singles from Will Gibbs (Harrisburg, Ill.) and Aiden Gibson (Cleveland, Tenn.) brought in the first run before a double steal of home allowed Gibbs to touch the plate.
The Vulcans had a quick response getting a pair back in the bottom of the second. Nathan Meeks started the inning with a base hit and scored on a one-out triple from Colby Rockacy. An infield single to the left of the mound brought in the tying run.
A hit batter and a walk set the stage for Rockacy in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Rockacy turned a 2-0 offering into the seats in left field to put the Vulcans ahead for the first time at 5-2.
After getting a run back with a ground out in the fourth, the Eagles exploded for four runs in the fifth. Three straight hits by Mitchell Balint (Avondale, Pa.), Smith and Ryan Potts (Dandridge, Tenn.) put the visitors on top 7-5.
Each team scored a run in the sixth behind a hit from James Denten (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) and a single by Justin Stewart making it an 8-6 affair.
Four Eagles finished with multi-hit games with Gibson going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Potts driving in two runs and Smith scoring thrice.
Mason Mooney (San Jose, Calif.) earned his third win of the season giving up two runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief before Grif Hughes (Knoxville, Tenn.) struck out the final batter to win the game.
Rockacy paced the home team going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Adam Crawford and Ryan Callahan each notched a pair of knocks. Devin Foster took the loss giving up six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings on the bump.
Game Two: CALIFORNIA 7, Carson-Newman 2
Luke Goforth (Blacksburg, Va.) put the Eagles ahead in the first frame with a line drive to right field scoring Trey Miller (Rocky Point, N.Y.) to put the Eagles ahead 1-0.
Nathan Meeks single in the second and Brett Bobin drove in a run in the fourth to give the Vulcans a 2-1 edge after four innings.
Carson-Newman drew even in the sixth when Potts bounced a base hit into center field to level the terms at two.
California pulled away in the bottom of the sixth scoring five times sending 10 men to the plate to stretch the lead out to 7-2.
Goforth and Smith each tallied a pair of knocks in the game but C-N was outhit 14-8 for the day. All three of the Eagles' pitchers were charged with at least two runs.
Roman Gill fired five innings of one-run baseball fanning four batters before the relievers held the Eagles without a hit over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Adam Crawford went 3-for-5 and Santino Marro went 4-for-5 as the top two hitters in the order posted eight of the club's 14 hits. All told seven hitters posted at least poke in the game.
The two programs conclude their series on Sunday starting at noon from Wild Things Park. Follow @CN_Eagles on Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest information.
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