JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Newberry cranked out 18 hits while Carson-Newman committed a season-high three errors for the fourth time this season as the Wolves scored in seven of the nine innings to pick up a 13-6 victory in the first game of a three-game series Friday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
The Wolves (25-10-1, 8-5) scored double-digit runs against the Eagles (19-14, 6-7) for the first time since March 7, 2009 when they won 11-5 on their home field.
"They are a pretty good hitting club," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "They are going to battle. They are going to compete. They do a good job of working the count. I thought they did a good job of going backside with two strikes. You have to be sharp with your pitches. You can't give good clubs four or five outs."
Senior third baseman Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) put the Eagles on the board with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. On a 0-1 offering, Roberts skied a ball to right-center field that continued to carry just over the fence for the game's first run.
The Wolves picked up a run in the top of the second stanza to tie the score but stranded the bases loaded. With one out, Jeff Sneed hit a fly ball to left-center field that redshirt-freshman Brendan Campbell (Yardley, Pa.) dropped to allow Sneed go to second base. A single by Robert Kosch put runners at the corners and Sneed scored on a bunt single to second base by Danton Hyman.
In the top of the fourth inning, Newberry took its first lead of the day with a three-run frame to make it a 4-1 game. The first two batters were retired by Carson-Newman starting pitcher Dustin Batson (Pisgah Forest, N.C.) before a single and fielding error put two runners on. A base hit to center field by JoJo Bradley plated one runner and a two-run double down the right-field line by Michael Gonzalez.
The visiting group plated a run in each the fifth and six innings on a ground out by Hyman in the fifth and a single to right field by Trejon Smith to push the advantage to 6-1.
Carson-Newman scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull within a run at 6-5. Junior shortstop Jimmy Rice (Middlesex, N.J.) and Roberts started the stanza with singles. Junior first baseman Paul Kirby (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) laced a double off of the fence in the left-field corner to score Rice. Sophomore Cade Snapp (Seymour, Tenn.) launched a 3-2 fastball over the left-field fence for his team-leading ninth homer of the year.
Newberry responded in the next half inning scoring three runs in the top of the seventh. Daymon Totherow hit a sacrifice fly to center and Bradley plated a duo with a two-base hit to left-center field with two outs.
The Wolves made it an 11-5 contest scoring for the fifth straight inning in the top of the eighth inning. Kosch singled to left field and Hyman laid down another bunt single to plate a run.
In the top of the ninth, Bradley singled to left field and a sacrifice fly from Smith bolstered the lead to 13-5.
The Eagles scratched the scoreboard for one final time in the bottom of the ninth inning as Rice singled to right field with two outs to prolong the game.
Batson (2-3) allowed six runs, two earned runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out four.
Daniel Nations (6-0) picked up the victory for Wolves tossing five innings while giving up five earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts. Marshall Rentz (3) picked up the save working the final four innings of the game with four punch outs.
The Eagles tallied 12 hits on the day led by Rice's 3-for-5 day, his 10th multi-hit day of the season. Roberts, Snapp and freshman right fielder Ian Pung (Knoxville, Tenn.) each had two hits.
The Wolves piled up 18 hits, the second-most against the Eagles this season as every starter had at least one hit and seven players scored at least one run.
The two schools close out the weekend series Saturday with a twin-bill scheduled to begin at noon. Broadcast coverage begins at 11:50 a.m. with a pregame interview followed by uninterrupted play-by-play on cneagles.com/live with the Eagle Sports Network production.
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