NEWBERRY, S.C. ­– Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) went four-for-nine at the dish with five RBI to help propel Carson-Newman (16-22, 12-12 South Atlantic Conference) to a doubleheader split with Newberry (24-19, 10-12 SAC) Saturday at the Smith Road Complex. 

"His parents were there and maybe it had a calming effect," Carson-Newman head coach Tom Griffin said with a laugh. "But technically he really settled his body and was less jumpy."

The Eagles won game one 8-1 to clinch a series victor before dropping the backend of the doubleheader 6-5.

"We weren't as crisp in our at bats in the second game, but our guys battled back and did a great job all day of getting on base," Griffin said. "We're disappointed we didn't hold on in that final game and it's great to win a series on the road.  But this loss still hurts – which is good."

Eight batters that Carson-Newman started hit better than .280 for the doubleheader

Game one: Carson-Newman 8, Newberry 1

Carson-Newman used a seven-run fourth inning to pound Newberry in game one 8-1.

The Eagles got the game started with small ball tactics before the big innings.  Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) led off the game with an infield single to third before stealing second.  Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) then ripped a single down the leftfield to plate Tipton and give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.

Carson-Newman lowered their insurance premiums with the seven-run explosion in the fourth inning. 

Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) started off the inning with a walk before Kevin Franchetti (Highland, Ind.) sacrificed him over to second on a bunt to the pitcher. 

Zach Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.) started the merry-go-round with an RBI single to center field to bring Fox around for a run.  Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) and Evan Kirkpatrick (Jefferson City, Tenn.) then sent singles to right and left field respectively to load the bases.

That chased Newberry starter Brandon Ahrens in favor of Alex Roberts who promptly walked Tipton to make it a 3-0 lead for the Eagles.

Roberts then cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line that rattled in the corner to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead.  A wild pitch from Newberry's Roberts brought the Eagles similarly-surnamed base runner home to end the Wolves' Roberts' day on the bump. 

Evan Brown would fare better for the Wolves; however, he still surrendered three singles, including one from Franchetti that brought Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) in for another run. 

Newberry would strike for a run in the fifth on a Matt Gaine groundout to third that brought JoJo Bradley around. 

Alex Britt (Salisbury, N.C.) went the complete game for C-N, allowing a run on four hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.  Britt threw 111 pitches in his nine innings of work, 70 of which were strikes. 

"Britt really settled in and we did a nice job defensively," Griffin said. "That seven-run inning was big just because we haven't seen that much offense in an inning in a while."

He improves to 4-3 on the year while Ahrens took the loss to drop to 3-3. 

Game two: Newberry 6, Carson-Newman 5

Game two had the makings of a pitchers' duel with Newberry leading 1-0 through the first five innings.  However, the teams' offenses came to life late for some late-inning dramatics.

Carson-Newman went ahead 2-1 in the top of the sixth when Roberts doubled down the left field line to drive in Tipton. Following that, Ausmus tripled into left to bring Roberts in and give the Eagles a short-lived lead.

Newberry would put a three-spot on in the bottom half of the frame.  Ryan Cramner doubled to right and Albert Baur followed that with a two-RBI homer to right to give Newberry the lead back. 

"That team's not hitting .329 by accident," Griffin said. "Cranmer and Baur are two of the best in the league and our pitchers did a pretty solid job of limiting their opportunities."

The Wolves would add an insurance run on a Chas Goodwin double into left. 

It would be needed as the Eagles counterpunched in the seventh.  Jackson Reid (Johnson City, Tenn.) pinch hit for Franchetti to start the inning and reached on a fielding error by the shortstop.  Everhart then doubled down the left field line to put the tying run on and in scoring position. 

The Eagles drew within a run on a Long bloop single to center that brought Reid in.  Carson-Newman guaranteed extra innings on a Trace Rogers (Simponsville, S.C.) single to right center. 

An Evan Jurjevic (New Carlisle, Ind.) single that direction gave the Eagles the lead when Rogers crossed home plate. 

Newberry threatened in the bottom of the seventh and delivered on that threat.  Back-to-back singles by Anthony Siler and Bradley put the tying and go-ahead run aboard with no one out.  Then Ryan Fillers walked Cranmer to load the bases (Greeneville, Tenn.).

Baur then gave the Wolves the win on a two-RBI double to right center to salvage the series for the Wolves.

Fillers took the loss (1-2) in relief after surrendering the walkoff winner.  Matt Chapman collected the win (3-1) for the Wolves after pitching a scoreless two-thirds of an inning to close for Newberry.

The Eagles close out a nine-game road trip Tuesday with a doubleheader at Belmont Abbey.

-CN-