VIDEO: Jackson Harbin Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Despite a stretch where 19 of 20 Eagles' hitters were retired, Carson-Newman bounced back after three straight losses with a 4-3 triumph over Milligan on Tuesday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex after the bullpen allowed one run over five innings.
"We grinded it out," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "The big part was Jackson Harbin. After what happened Friday with the walks, he came in and threw strikes. He was in the zone, his breaking ball worked and got some chases and allowed us to be in the game. Their pitchers did a really good job keeping them in the game. The at bat Ryan Potts had showed maturity."
Winning for the eighth meeting in a row, Carson-Newman (2-3) handed Milligan (4-1) its first loss of the season as Eagles' pitching stranded nine runners on base in the effort.
Carson-Newman wasted no time taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning. With men at first and second base, Henry Jackson (Waxhaw, N.C.) took off for the third as the catcher hurled the ball down the line to bring in the first run of the day. Zach Boze (Gallatin, Tenn.) laced a ball off of the fence in left-center field to add a run before scoring on a two-out base hit through the right side of the infield by James Denten (Mt. Prospect, Ill.).
In the top of the fourth, the Buffaloes loaded the bases with one out but settled for just one run on a fielder's choice as Brock Culpepper (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) induced a grounder to end the frame and hold onto a 3-1 edge.
Despite having a runner thrown out at the plate in the top of the fifth, Milligan scored twice to knot the tally at three. Casey Haire laced a double to left field and Angel Lobo slapped a single through the right side of the infield to even the tally with two outs.
The Eagles recorded their first hit since the first inning with a lead-off hit by Mitchell Balint (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) in the eighth. However, the next batter grounded into a double play. Dalton McLain (Greeneville, Tenn.) lined a single into center field. Three straight walks capped by Ryan Potts (Dandridge, Tenn.) taking a bases loaded walk propelled the Eagles into the lead.
Milligan mustered a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth before Noah Pridmore (Ootlewah, Tenn.) retired the final two batters of the game to seal the win for the Eagles.
Jackson Harbin (Gastonia, N.C.) picked up the victory recording seven outs retiring just one batter striking out three batters to keep the game tied in the sixth and seventh.
"I came in and knew I had to go right at the guy," Harbin said. "Sixty-eight percent of balls put in play are outs so I have to use that to my advantage and go right at them. It's an awful feeling when you feel like you're drowning so it was awesome to get out there today, throw strikes and put up some zeroes."
Carson-Newman recorded six total hits on the day by six different players with Aiden Gibson (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Boze each reaching base safely twice in the game.
Lobo went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Jack Sutton tallied a pair of knocks. Austin Maxey took the loss despite fanning four batters in 3 2/3 innings of one-run baseball.
The Eagles are back on the road on Wednesday travelling to face off with Tusculum at 3 p.m. from Pioneer Park. Fans can listen to the game on the Eagle Sports Network by visiting cneagles.com/live.
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