HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Henry Jackson drove in the game-winning runs in extra innings to open the door for Carson-Newman's best offensive day in six weeks beating Coker 3-1 in eight frames and 10-4 to open the final South Atlantic Conference series of the year at Dan Schmotzer Stadium.
"Brayden Coe was really good for us today and he was able to keep us in it long enough," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "Henry Jackson had a big hit on a 3-2 pitch against a guy in Griffin Hollifield that is a veteran in this league. In the second game, the defense made some mistakes but we limited it enough and got some big hits. Matt Parkinson swung the bat much better and Zach Boze had better at bats for him as we got some big hits from the middle of our lineup."
Carson-Newman (23-13, 18-10) won the first two games of a road SAC series for the first time since April 2019 at Queens piling up 13 runs while the pitching staff allowed one earned run and struck out 17 in as many stanzas.
Tyler Thompson (Gallatin, Tenn.) led the offense on the day with four RBIs and Gunnar Ricketts (Hixson, Tenn.) went 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles. Matt Parkinson (Whitesboro, N.Y.) reached base safely in five of his seven plate appearances.
Game One: Carson-Newman 3, Coker 1 (8 Innings)
Coker took advantage of a pair of Carson-Newman miscues, an error and a hit batter, right out of the gates. Following a line out, Drew Klaserner stung a base hit to left field to put the home club ahead 1-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Eagles answered after the first two men were retired. Three straight singles capped by a poke through the right side of the infield by Thompson pulled the teams level at one.
The teams stayed tied forcing the Eagles into an extra-inning game for the first time since a 12-11 win over Coker on April 20, 2019. Charlie Brown (Sevierville, Tenn.) opened the eighth with a base hit to left field and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Ricketts was intentionally walked and moved to second on catcher's indifference with two outs. Henry Jackson (Waxhaw, N.C.) worked a full count before shoveling a ball into center field to plate a pair and give Griffin's group their first lead of the game at 3-1.
Brayden Coe (Bridgeville, Pa.) worked around a lead-off single in the bottom of the eighth to finish off his third complete game of the year and earn his sixth win of the year. The senior worked eight innings giving up one unearned run on six hits fanning seven.
Ricketts paced the lineup with three hits scoring a run while Brown added a 2-for-4 day with two runs scored. C-N produced eight hits overall in the game, five of which came with two outs. The teams combined to go 3-for-21 with runners in scoring position.
Coker registered six hits from six different players. Starting pitcher Aaron Mitchell lasted three innings scattering two hits and a walk as one of the four pitchers used by the Cobras.
������ @HenryJackson_10 shovels a two-run, two-out base hit to center to put the Eagles on top.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) April 17, 2021
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�� @Coker_Cobras 1
Mid 8th
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�� @BrayCoe came up big for @CNBaseball
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) April 17, 2021
3️⃣rd complete game of the season
✅ Fourth quality start
�� Win No. 6 pic.twitter.com/vxNfRrriTY
Game Two: Carson-Newman 10, Coker 4
Errors played a key role in Coker taking a 3-0 early lead. Jackson Williams doubled down the right field line to score Klaserner who reached on catcher's interference to open the scoring in the bottom of the second. The Eagles committed three errors in the third with the Cobras taking advantage to score twice.
Zach Boze (Gallatin, Tenn.) launched a lead-off homer to start the top of the fourth to get the Eagles on the board with his second long ball of the year and first since the second game of the year. Two walks put a pair of men on base for Thompson. The right-handed hitter blasted his seventh dinger of the year clearing the left-center field fence to put the visitors on top 4-3.
Parkinson added to the margin leading off the fifth inning with his eighth roundtripper of the season, a long ball down the left-field line to push it out to a 5-3 edge.
After a ground out opened the top of the sixth, two singles put runners at first and second base. Bryce Hanley (Greenback, Tenn.) took off for third base and the throw from the catcher sizzled into left field to plate the sophomore. Ricketts laced a ball down the right-field line to get Thompson in from second and stretch the lead to 7-3.
Carson-Newman loaded the bases in the top of the seventh getting all three men to touch home behind a balk and two sacrifice flies swelling the margin to 10-3.
Cam Murray smacked a solo blast to left-center field with two outs in the ninth to get the game to a final tally of 10-4.
The Eagles produced double-digit runs for the seventh time this year but the first since March 7 while racking up 10 knocks, their most since April 2. A trio of players posted multi-hit days led by a 3-for-5 day with an RBI and two runs scored. Parkinson registered two hits and Thompson ended the afternoon 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Matt Bradley (Talbott, Tenn.) was the beneficiary of the run support getting his second win of the year over six stanzas. He allowed three unearned runs on five hits and a walk while fanning seven.
In three frames of relief, Kyle Cagle (Fairview, N.C.) chalked up his second save of the year striking out three and yielding two hits.
Williams, Murray and Lake Lybrand each had two hits of the team's seven. Five different pitchers climbed the hill with Tanner Wofford giving up four earned runs on four hits and four walks to take the loss.
The two clubs put a bow on the regular season on Sunday starting with a noon first lob in the seven-inning game of the doubleheader.
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