GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Eagles (8-7, 6-6 South Atlantic Conference) dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Tusculum Pioneers (7-6, 6-3 SAC) Sunday at Pioneer Park. The Pioneers won a pair of one-run games, 2-1 in game one and 4-3 in game two. Tusculum sweeps the series, its first series sweep of Carson-Newman since the 2012 season.
"We competed in these games," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "As long as the kids are competing that's all you can ask for. This is what God gives us and the key is how we handle it. I thought our kids responded. Our bats were better in game two. We will keep working hard and paying attention to the fundamentals."
Game One – Tusculum 2, Carson-Newman 1
Carson-Newman scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore centerfielder Ryan Addington (Cincinnati, Ohio) was hit by a pitch with one out. A single by junior outfielder Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) moved Addington into scoring position. After a fly out, senior first basemen Evan Jurjevic (New Carlisle, Ind.) rolled a single into centerfield to score Addington and put the Eagles ahead 1-0.
Tusculum took the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Jalen Shuffler led off the frame with a double off of the fence in right-centerfield. After a strikeout, Kevin Victoriano got jammed on a ball that was just out of the reach of Eagle shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) into centerfield. A groundout from Scott Gibson brought home the tying and a double down the left field line by Travis Winnon scored Victoriano to make it a 2-1 contest.
Carson-Newman left 10 men on base in the game including two men in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Eagles left a pair of men on base in four of the final five frames.
Eagle starter Vince Apicella (Dillsburg, Pa.) lost for the first time in four starts by going seven innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits and walk while striking out 11. The 11 punch mark the fourth straight game that Apicella has recorded double digit strikeouts.
Tipton was the lone Eagle with two hits as he snapped a 0-for-14 string at the plate with a hit in the first inning while Jurjevic and Addington reached base safely twice in the game.
Tusculum starter Ethan Carpenter improved to 2-0 on the season by working 5.1 innings of one-run, six-hit baseball while striking out six batters.
Game Two – Tusculum 4, Carson-Newman 3
Carson-Newman struck first for the third time in the series in the bottom of the first inning as Addington reached on an error to start the game. Tipton struck out but reached first base on a wild pitch. After a wild pitch, senior second basemen Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) brought Addington home on an infield single in the hole between shortstop and third base.
Once again, Tusculum responded in the next half inning. Eagle starter Jamie Miller (Wardensville, N.J.) walked the leadoff batter, Victoriano. Tusculum shortstop Chris Waylock lined a single to right field and an error by senior rightfielder allowed both runners to move up a bag. Andrew Bowerman brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to center to tie the score at one.
The Pioneers took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Waylock led off the inning with a solid single to left field. A sacrifice bunt and a ground out moved the Tusculum shortstop to third base. A two-out screaming single over the head of Everhart at shortstop by Jeovanny Tolentino brought home Waylock to put Tusculum ahead 2-1.
Tusculum starter McKenly Berry had retired 12 of 13 batters when an error by Rodriguez allowed senior catcher J.D. Cowart (Athens, Tenn.) to reach safely. A base hit from Addington put two on for Tipton who lined a single to center. J.J. Wesley came up with a perfect throw to plate to gun down Cowart for the second out.
Defensive miscues allowed a pair of runs to score in the top of the sixth for Tusculum. Rodriguez rocketed a double to the wall in left field. Tollentino hit a high pop fly down the left field line that Tipton started back on and couldn't come forward in time as the ball dropped and Rodriguez scored. A throwing error by Tipton allowed Tollentino to move to second base. With the infield in and one out an sharply hit ground ball to Ausmus squirted through his legs and allowed Tollentino to score to make it 4-3.
Tipton once again notched a multi-hit outing by going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Eagles are back in action Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex when Bluefield State comes to town. Pregame coverage begins at 1:50 p.m. as fans can watch the game at cneagles.com/live.
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