Wingate, N.C.----Carson-Newman took an early lead and made it stick, picking up a 9-4 South Atlantic Conference baseball victory over Wingate University Friday night at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The loss snaps a nine-game conference winning streak for the host Bulldogs.
Eagle senior right fielder Corey Lamson (Gray, Tenn.) was two-for-five with two homers and four RBI for Carson-Newman (28-11, 14-5 SAC). With the loss, the home-standing Bulldogs fall to 25-13 overall and 17-5 in the SAC. Wingate remains in first place entering Saturday's 1 p.m. doubleheader. The Bulldogs will honor seven seniors in pre-game festivities.
The visiting Eagles scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never relinquished the lead. The big blow was a three-run homer by Lamson. Wingate got a run back in the third, when redshirt senior center fielder Nick Siega-Riz (Clemmons, N.C.) tripled and scored on a groundout. Siega-Riz leads the SAC with five three-baggers this season.
Carson-Newman scored two in the fourth and three in the fifth to take an 8-1 advantage. In the fourth frame, Lamson hit a solo home run to make the score 4-1. Later in the inning, junior center fielder Cody Nix (Cartersville, Ga.) tripled and scored on an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Aaron Vargas (Oak Ridge, Tenn.).
In the Eagle fifth, Carson-Newman scored one run on a bases-loaded wild pitch. Two more runs scored on a two-RBI single by junior third baseman Wesley Dozier (Cornelius, N.C.). Wingate scored twice in the home-half of the fifth inning, thanks to RBI groundout by junior catcher Taylor Honeycutt (Indian Trail, N.C.) and a Carson-Newman balk.
The visitors added a single spot in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Carson-Newman junior designated hitter Evan Patterson (Knoxville, Tenn.) doubled. He scored on an RBI single by senior shortstop Mills Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.). Wingate scored the game's final run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Bulldog senior second baseman Logan Isaacs (Raleigh, N.C.) reached on a bunt single and scored on an RBI single by sophomore right fielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.).
Carson-Newman scored nine runs on 10 hits. Lamson, Rogers and Patterson had two hits each for the Eagles. Wingate redshirt freshman first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) was two-for-four for the Bulldogs.
Eagle junior right-hander Austin Bridgewater (Morristown, Tenn.) hurled his third complete game of the season to improve his 2010 ledger to 4-0 overall. The Walters State Community College transfer allowed four earned runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking four. Wingate senior righty Tyler Almond (Oakboro, N.C.) took the loss (3-1 overall), giving up eight earned runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked three.
Wingate will recognize seven seniors in Saturday's 12:40 p.m. pre-game ceremony. In addition to Siega-Riz, Isaacs and Almond, the Bulldogs will honor outfielder Jerome Henley (Carrboro, N.C.) and pitchers Dusty White (Charlotte, N.C.), TJ Worrell (Charlotte, N.C.) and Lee Oxendine (Laurinburg, N.C.). White pitched four innings of three-hit ball Friday night (four strikeouts, no walks, one run).
(Courtesy Wingate Sports Information)
