HICKORY, N.C. – For the second time this season, the Carson-Newman Eagles (15-15, 8-11 South Atlantic Conference) stranded 13 runners on base as the visiting team's furious comeback fell short in a 9-6 loss to the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (7-23, 4-13 SAC) Friday evening at Bears Field.

"Too many men left on base and too many strikeouts," head coach Tom Griffin said of his team's situational hitting. "It's very disappointing to say the least. We're not doing a good job putting balls in play."

Lenoir-Rhyne took advantage after the Eagles stranded a pair of runners in the first inning. Second basemen Bradley Rumford singled on the first pitch he saw from Eagle starter Dustin Dunagan (Winder, Ga.). After a ground out, right fielder Ivan Vieitez laced a double to the gap in left center to make it 1-0. Center fielder Brandon Walker bounced a single through the box that scored Vieitez and gave the Bears a 2-0 edge.

The Bears continued their hot-hitting in the bottom of the second inning. A walk and an error put the first two men on base in the stanza. Rumford laced a single just out of the reach of right fielder Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) that brought home both runners. Vieitez capped the frame with a double down the right field line and give the home squad a 5-0 advantage.

Junior catcher J.D. Cowart (Athens, Tenn.) lined a 1-1 pitch to right field for a base hit to begin the top of the third inning. A single by sophomore first basemen Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) put men at first and second base. Senior third basemen Trace Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.) laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to move the runners up a bag. Cowart scored on a wild pitch while Tipton came home on a RBI single to left field by Fox to pull the Eagles within a 5-2 score.

Carson-Newman added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Rogers slapped a single to right field and junior left fielder Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) walked. After Fox struck out, junior designated hitter Evan Jurjevic (New Carlisle, Ind.) hammered a double to the wall in left center field to bring home both runners and pull the Eagles within a run.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the home team extended its lead by plating three runs. Rumford doubled to left field and third basemen Josh Murphy singled to start the inning. Rogers robbed Vieitez of a base knock with a diving catch for the first out of the inning. Walker smoked a ball that short-hopped the fence in left field to bring home a pair of runs. A sacrifice fly scored Walker to make it 8-4 Lenoir-Rhyne.

In the seventh inning, Carson-Newman stranded the bases loaded. The Eagles loaded the bases once again in the eighth inning. Fox looped a single to right field and Jurjevic drew a walk to bring home two runs before the visiting club once again left the bases loaded.

The two clubs will conclude a three-game series Saturday afternoon with the first pitch in game one scheduled for 1 p.m. Both games are available with an audio stream by visiting cneagles.com/live.

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