Baseball’s winning streak snapped with 3-2 loss to Anderson

Baseball’s winning streak snapped with 3-2 loss to Anderson

Anderson, S.C. – The Anderson Trojans (2-6, 2-2 South Atlantic Conference) defeated the Carson-Newman Eagles (7-2, 3-1 SAC) 3-2 Saturday evening at Memorial Stadium that snapped a five-game winning streak for Carson-Newman.

"We played very sloppy baseball," head coach Tom Griffin said after the game. "Our base running was not very good and our pitchers did not pitch ahead in the count enough. By playing that sloppy in game one of a conference series, you don't deserve to win."

The Eagles started the scoring in the top of the second inning. Junior outfielder Cody Fox (Seymour Tenn.) reached on an error by third basemen Garrett Bernardo, but was caught stealing. After a strike out, junior shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) drew a walk. The next batter, sophomore third basemen Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) doubled to right field to put the visiting team on top 1-0.

Anderson tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Left fielder Nathan Galliford drew a walk to start the stanza. After a fly out, right fielder Paul Como doubled down the right field line to put runners at second and third base. Catcher L.J. Newman drove home Galliford with a sacrifice fly to right field that tied the score at one.

Everhart gave Carson-Newman the lead back in the top of the seventh inning when he smacked his first home run since March 12, 2013 over the center field fence to make it a 2-1 game.

The Trojans responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame. Center fielder Josh Hickman doubled down the left field line to start the inning and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Hickman came home to score the tying run to on a base hit by second basemen Kyle Bailey who moved into scoring position on a passed by. First basemen Steven Cooper lined a solid single to center to put the home side on top 3-2.

Carson-Newman put a pair of runners in scoring position in the top of the ninth inning but senior second basemen Peter Rajkovich (Stockton, Calif.) and senior infielder Trace Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.) struck out to end the ball game.

Junior center fielder Evan Kirkpatrick (Jefferson City, Tenn.) saw his 15-game on-base streak and eight-game hitting streak come to an end. Overall, the Eagles went down on strikes 12 times in the contest.

Carson-Newman will play two games against Anderson Sunday afternoon with game one beginning at 1 p.m. Sophomore southpaw Vince Apicella (Dillsburg, Pa.) and senior right-hander Dustin Dunagan (Winder, Ga.) will get the ball for the Eagles.