JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the second consecutive day, the Carson-Newman Eagles (15-14) lit the scoreboard for 18 runs in an 18-1 win over the Bluefield State Blues (8-10).
"I think it was a carry-over from yesterday," head coach Tom Griffin said of his team's performance. "We had much better approaches. We hope that they can build their confidence from these type of at-bats. I like the fact we competed the whole time."
Carson-Newman picked up right where it left off in the bottom of the first inning as the Eagles scored seven runs and sent 11 men to the plate. Blues' starting pitcher Alex Quick need 53 pitches to get out of the first inning. The first four batters all reached safely with two runs scoring on RBI singles by junior left fielder Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and junior right fielder Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.). Ausmus score on an error by shortstop Tyler Frazier. Senior second basemen Peter Rajkovich (Stockton, Calif.) laced a single back through the box to extend the lead to 4-0. Junior catcher J.D. Cowart (Athens, Tenn.) lined a double down the left field line to make it 5-0. Sophomore first basemen Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) capped the inning with a two-run double to the gap in left center field.
With runners at the corners and one out in the fifth inning, Cowart drove home his second run of the game with a solid single to right field. Ausmus cleared the bases with a gap shot to left center field to cap a four-run frame and make it an 11-1 contest.
The Eagles batted around for the third time in the game in the sixth stanza. The first three men reached safely setting the set for freshman Greg Jones (Maryville, Tenn.) who hit a grand slam in yesterday's game. Jones laced a double to right center field to score two runs and make it 13-1. Tipton followed with another two-run, two-base hit to extend the advantage to 15-1. Junior shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) added an RBI single while Ausmus tacked on an RBI double in the inning to extend the lead to 16 runs.
The home team capped the scoring in the eighth inning when Carson-Newman was hit by three pitches and drew a walk to plate a run and make it 18-1.
Ausmus went 3-for-5 with 5 RBI and a run scored while Tipton went 3-for-4 with 4 RBI and three runs scored. Rajkovich went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and Cowart went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Freshman right-hander Ryan Eberle (Cookeville, Tenn.) earned his first career win going five innings of one-run, five-hit baseball with five strikeouts and one walk. The Eagle bullpen of freshman Jason Stettner (Cooper City, Fla.), junior Logan Shaftner (Lexington, Ky.), freshman Justin Evans (Salisbury, N.C.) and freshman Phillip Pardue (Knoxville, Tenn.) complied four flawless innings with five strikeouts.
"He spotted the ball well," Griffin said of Eberle. "He was down in the zone and had three pitches. He looked confident and had good composure."
The Eagles travel to Hickory, N.C. to take on the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears for a three-game series beginning Friday evening at 6 p.m.
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