JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Eagles split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with visiting Mars Hill College on Saturday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. The Eagles pounded out 16 hits en route to a 19-9 win in game one, while the Lions held off an Eagle rally in a 5-4 win in game two.
With the split, C-N moves to 25-11 on the season and 13-5 in SAC play, while Mars Hill is now 23-11 overall and 15-6 in league play
Game One
Carson-Newman 19, Mars Hill 9
Carson-Newman’s Jeff Lockwood (Knoxville, Tenn.) hit his South Atlantic Conference-leading 18th home run and doubled twice as the Eagles beat Mars Hill in game one, 19-9.
Lockwood broke open a 5-4 game in the fourth with a three-run home run to left centerfield to give the Eagles an 8-4 lead.
C-N would add six runs in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach.
Lockwood had a two-run double, and catcher Mason Guymon (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) had an RBI single in the inning as the Eagles pulled away.
Mars Hill grabbed a quick 1-0 lead after three first-inning singles.
Centerfielder Mike Kitt (West Islip, N.Y.) and shortstop Devin Presnell (Boone, N.C.) led off the game with back-to-back singles. Kitt would later score on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Savoca (Riegelwood, N.C.) to give Mars Hill the early lead.
C-N would answer with three runs in the bottom of the first.
Mills Rogers’ (Simpsonville, S.C.) and Corey Lamson (Gray, Tenn.) each had first inning doubles as the Eagles took advantage of a pair of first-inning walks by Mars Hill starter Kevin Searcy (Hendersonville, N.C.) to move ahead 3-1.
Third baseman Wes Dozier (Cornelious, N.C.) added an RBI-groundout in the inning.
Lions’ third baseman Dalton Hardee (Boone, N.C.) added a solo home run in the second inning to cut the Eagles lead to one run at 3-2. Two more Lions would reach in the inning, but C-N starter Cy Fraker (Indianapolis) would get MHC’s Rusty Smith (MacClenney, Fla.) to ground out to end the threat.
The Lions would get two back in the fourth behind three singles and a Carson-Newman error.
Second baseman Michael Bueker (Cooper City, Fla.) and Devin Presnell (Boone, N.C.) both singled, and Kitt reached on an error, as the Mars Hill loaded the bases with no outs.
Carson-Newman finished the game with 14 hits, including six for extra bases. The Eagles also drew eight walks.
C-N’s Ryan Hendrickson (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) picked up the win for the Eagles to improve to 4-0 on the year. He allowed five runs in four innings of work. Searcy took the loss for Mars Hill to fall to 4-2.
Guymon and Lockwood each had three hits to lead the Eagles. Lockwood finished the day with six RBIs.
Lamson added two hits including a three-run home run in the eighth.
Game Two
Mars Hill 5, Carson-Newman 4 (7 innings)
Mars Hill starter Justin Hall (Martinsville, Va.) kept the Eagles’ bats silent for five innings and closer Charles Anthony (Winston-Salem, N.C.) came on to record the final out in a seventh-inning jam as Mars Hill won the nightcap, 5-4.
Hall (WP, 4-2) allowed just one Carson-Newman run until a three-run home run by Dozier in the sixth cut the Mars Hill lead to its final tally.
The Eagles would put two runners on with two outs in the seventh, but Anthony came on to get C-N’s Lockwood to groundout to second base to pick up the save and preserve the series win for MHC.
Mars Hill would jump out to an early 3-0 lead in game two.
After coming up empty in the first inning, despite four singles, the Lion took advantage of three walks by Eagle starter Wes McIntyre (Chattanooga, Tenn.) to plate three runs in the second. Presnell delivered the key blow with a one-out single to right field, scoring two.
Carson-Newman would get its first run in the bottom half of the inning, when C-N designated hitter Jon Dalton (Rutledge, Tenn.) drove a his ninth home run of the season over the right field fence.
The Lions would answer back with two in the third as Savoca singled and designated hitter Kris Torrance (P. Jefferson Station, N.Y.) doubled to lead off the inning. Both would later score on an RBI groundout and an Eagles error to give the Lions a 5-1 lead.
Dozier’s home run in the sixth, following singles Rogers and Lamson, gave the Eagles their final three runs.
Rogers led the Eagles going 3-for-4 in game two.
Presnell and Savoca each had two hits for the Lions.
Carson-Newman returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts a doubleheader with Belmont Abbey College. First pitch is at 1 p.m. in Jefferson City.
