Tom Griffin Interview
GAFFNEY, S.C. – Four errors, including one in the 14th inning to set up runners on second and third base with no outs, and only six hits told the tale for the Carson-Newman baseball team in a 2-1 14-inning loss to the Limestone Saints at Founders FCU Stadium.
Limestone outfielder Brett Gemmell was hit by freshman Alex Alfonso's (Plantation, Fla.) pitch to leadoff the bottom of the 14th. Gemmell was pitch-ran for when Michael Gonzalez stepped to the plate. A Brandon Roberts's throwing error allowed the pinch runner and Gonzalez to advance and set up the game-winning play. Saints' inflelder Austin Marcellus flew out to left field and allowed the pinch runner to score from third and win the contest.
No Eagle recorded more than one hit in the loss.
"It was the typical season opener. I thought our pitchers did a tremendous job," coach Tom Griffin said. "Biggest disappointment obviously, defensively we kind of shot ourselves in the foot. Offensively, though, that was a little bit of a disappointment. I didn't think we were very good up there, didn't have much of a plan, not aggressive. We seemed a bit tentative. That's something we are going to have to get better at."
In the top of the first, sophomore outfielder Ryan Addington (Cincinnati, Ohio) reached on a leadoff walk and subsequently stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. Senior Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) reached base on a two-out walk. With senior Evan Jurjevic (New Carlisle, Ind.) at the plate, Ausmus got caught in a rundown between first and second base and appeared to be tagged out, but second baseman Austin Marcellus dropped the ball on the tag, which allowed Addington to score from third. After the end of the first inning, C-N led 1-0.
The Carson-Newman 1-0 lead held true until the bottom of the fifth .
In the bottom of the fifth, Shaftner allowed a leadoff single to Gonzalez. Gonzalez then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a groundout. With two outs, outfielder Kyle Morella doubled to left center field to score Gonzalez and tie the contest at 1-1 after five innings.
In the bottom of the seventh, senior relief pitcher Michael Cogliano (Medford, N.J.) worked out of a jam. Two singles left Limestone runners on the corners for pinch hitter Aaron Benefield. Cogliano induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat and keep the score deadlocked at 1-1, which would hold until the 14th.
In the top of the eighth, pinch hitter Eric Lynch (Boonton, N.J.) and Addington hit back-to-back singles with one out. Junior left fielder Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) laid down a sacrifice bunt to push the runners to second and third with two outs for Roberts (Davie, Fla.). Roberts fouled out to end the threat after the Saints' first baseman made a catch falling over the fence and holding onto the ball to record the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, senior reliever Carson Bryant (Fletcher, N.C.) gave up a single to lead off the inning, but a 5-6-4 double play off a bunt erased the Limestone base runner. The next batter flew out to Addington to end regulation with a 1-1 tie.
Tipton led off the top of the 11th with a double. Following a failed sacrifice bunt attempt and a strikeout, Tipton was standing on second when Jurjevic and senior outfielder Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) were both hit by a pitch. Senior shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) flew out to left field to left field to end the frame.
In the bottom of the 13th, third baseman Kyle Morella reached on an Ausmus error and advanced to second after the ball skittered into the Limestone dugout. A groundout recorded the first out of the inning. Another grounder recorded the second out but moved Morella to third base. Freshman pitcher Hunter Dodson came on in relief and hit the first batter he faced. Saints' designated hitter Brett Ducket hit a shot down the line that Roberts dove, caught and threw out Ducket to preserve the 1-1 tie.
Starting pitcher Logan Shaftner (Lexington, Ky.) finished the contest after pitching 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits and striking out two Saints.
Bryant finished his relief appearance by pitching four scoreless innings allowing just three hits and striking out five. The Eagles used six relief pitchers over the last 7.2 innings.
"Shaftner's start did a really solid for us. We had guys come in relief and just do an outstanding job of getting out of situations, attacking hitters," Griffin said.
The Eagles will return to the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex for their home-opener Friday afternoon at 2:00 P.M. against the Catawba Indians.
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