JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (13-14) surrendered a season high 20 hits and 14 runs as North Georgia (8-15) picked up a 14-10 win in an offensive slugfest Tuesday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. 

The loss is Carson-Newman's seventh consecutive.  Unlike the previous six, which had been more akin to pitchers' duels, Tuesday's swoon was marked by a suddenly resurgent Eagle offense, but suddenly reticent Eagle defense. 

Carson-Newman committed a season high six errors. 

"We're looking for small victories right now," Carson-Newman head coach Tom Griffin said.  "It's a positive that we were energetic and were able to come back tie the game.  But obviously, defensively we were not very good.  We made a lot of simple throwing errors today." 

The contest did not start in Carson-Newman's favor.  The Saints raced out to an 8-1 lead in the first inning and a half before the Eagles began to climb back into things. The Eagles scored seven unanswered, plating two in the second, four in the fourth and one in the fifth to tie things up. 

The fourth proved to be an explosive frame for C-N.  With one out, Trace Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.)  ripped his third double this season into center field.  Evan Kirkpatrick (Jefferson City, Tenn.) followed that up with his first triple of the year – a line drive that carried over the head of the centerfielder - to plate Rogers. 

After an error by the shortstop let Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) climb aboard, Zach Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.) doubled to left to bring both runners into scoring position.  That set the stage for Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) to clear the bases and add to his team leading 26 RBI with a double over the head of the left fielder. 

The Eagles tied the game in the fifth when Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) homered to straight away center field. 

However, the Saints would score six runs to the Eagles two over the next three innings to retake the lead and snap a three-game losing streak of their own. 

"We just have to stay with the process and keeping plugging along," Griffin said. "When you're in a streak like this, it comes down to people making plays.  The pitcher's got to get an out.  We've got to get an out there and we're making an error.  We got to find a way to score more than a run an inning and we're not getting it done."

Ausmus turned in a two-for-five day at the dish with three RBI for the Eagles, while Fox was two-of-three at the plate with his solo shot.    

However, their offensive output wasn't enough to overcome Saints first baseman Brad Barto and his three-of-five, five-RBI day, or Derek Hooper and his four-for-four, five-RBI performance. 

Brandon Agar (3-3) picked up the win for the Saints in relief of starter Chris Cobb. While Brandon Timmerman (Seymour, Tenn.) took the loss for the Eagles (1-1) after tossing 4.1 innings in relief and surrendering four runs. 

The Eagles and Saints take to the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex at 1 p.m. for the second game of the series Wednesday.  Coverage is available on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network on cneagles.com. 

-CN-