JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (13-10) rapped out 10 hits against Belmont Abbey (15-5-1), but also left 10 runners stranded in dropping a 5-2 decision to the Crusaders Tuesday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
Belmont Abbey scored four runs before the Eagles would answer the bell in the fifth.
The Crusaders got the day started in the first with a two run bomb from Kennan Stanley to left center.
Stanley would add another run in the third for BAC on a hot shot past C-N's diving third baseman Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) that brought Ian Vasquez around to score.
The Crusaders would make it a four-run cushion in the fourth when Levi Wright cranked his fourth home run of the year to nearly the identical spot over the wall in left center that Stanley hit his in the first.
Carson-Newman's bats would finally get cracking in the fifth thanks to Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) and his second home run of the year. Evarhart's leadoff solo shot left the yard in left.
However, C-N wouldn't put another crooked number on the board until the ninth with the Crusaders leading 5-1.
Following back-to-back singles by Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) and Shade Jett (Talbot, Tenn.), Everhart struck out looking and Philip Duncan (Knoxville, Tenn.) sacrificed the two runners over with a ground ball to second.
The Eagles looked to have a bit of two-out magic brewing when Peter Rajkovich (Stockton, Calif.) slapped a single to center to plate Fox. Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
However, Zach Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.) hit into a fielder's choice to end the game with the bases loaded.
C-N left runner's stranded in every inning but the eighth.
Fox led C-N offensively with three hits in his four at bats. Everhart and Rajkovich picked up RBIs for the Eagles.
Dustin Dunagan (Winder, Ga.) picked up the loss on the hill to move to 0-3 on the season while Ryan Allen (1-1) picked up the win after firing five innings of one-run ball.
Even though he was shackled with the loss, Dunagan hurled six strikeouts to two walks in his four complete innings.
The Eagles hit the road for a weekend SAC series at Wingate. Friday's single game begins at 6 p.m.
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