VIDEO: Ethan Goforth Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Eight of Carson-Newman's runs were scored with two outs with Greg Valentine tossing five shutout innings and Kyle Cagle taking a no-hitter into the seventh as the Eagles secured 9-5 and 3-0 victories over Alderson Broaddus Saturday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
Between Valentine and Cagle, the duo scattered four hits and six walks over 11 1/3 innings on the mound combining for 17 strikeouts while not allowing a run. Carson-Newman (6-1) went 7-for-18 at the plate with runners in scoring position while Alderson Broaddus (0-3) settled for a 3-for-12 day in those situations.
"They did it in different ways," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "Valentine really attacks the zone with his sinker and is more in the zone. You know you are going to get some contact. There is a thing as wildly effective [with Kyle]. Sometimes being out of the zone and being wild until you need is what Kyle was today. I think for hitters it's very difficult because you don't know where he is going to be."
GAME ONE: CARSON-NEWMAN 9, Alderson Broaddus 5
Malik Kyle (Jefferson City, Tenn.) drew a two-out walk on five pitches and stole second base in the bottom of the first. Tyler Thompson (Gallatin, Tenn.) drove a ball into right-center field that allowed Kyle to cross home and put C-N on top 1-0.
Aidan Massad did not allow a base runner with less than two outs over three innings but his command evaded him in the third. Two walks sandwiched around a hit batter loaded the bases. Michael Wroth (Chicopee, Mass.) drew a five-pitch base on balls to start the onslaught. Cal Smith (Kellar, Texas) floated a perfectly placed double over the third baseman's head to bring in two. The next batter, Micah Genter (Jasper, Tenn.), lined ball that went over the head of the left fielder to score two more as he came in to score on a double off of the fence in left field by Ethan Goforth (Blacksburg, Va.) as the bulge rose to 7-0 after three.
"I think we take things one pitch at a time," Goforth said. "It's doesn't matter if there is two strikes or two outs, runners on base or not on base. It's our mentality to take it one pitch at a time and go with the flow of the game. Don't let the pressure get to us today and that helped us succeed."
The lead grew in the fourth as Brendan Campbell (Yardley, Pa.) lined a base hit just past the outstretched mitt of the first baseman to score Thompson. Jordan Griffin (Ellersie, Ga.) advanced to third base and scored on a wild pitch a few tosses later making it a 9-0 contest.
Alderson Broaddus produced a major opportunity in the top of the sixth sending 11 men to the dish. Two run-scoring singles and three walks loaded the bases. Tyler Amedure stroked a three-run triple to the gap in right-center field to make it a 9-5 contest with two outs. A walk and a hit batter brought up the tying run. Nick Adkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) induced a fielder's choice ground out to end the threat.
Greg Valentine (Knoxville, Tenn.) earned the win for a second straight week firing five shutout innings scattering three hits and one walk while punching out five. Adkins earned his first-career save with two strikeouts over four outs.
No Eagle had multiple hits but Thompson and Griffin each scored twice with Smith and Genter knocking in a pair.
Massad gave up seven earned runs, all with outs, in 2 2/3 frames walking five and allowing three hits with three K's.
GAME TWO: CARSON-NEWMAN 3, Alderson Broaddus 0
Gordon Swiger retired the first six Eagles of the game before Griffin dropped a perfect bunt up the third base line for a lead-off single in the third. Wroth hit a smash that bounced off of Swiger's mitt to the third baseman Carson Comer. He calmly threw out Wroth at first but Chasen Claus threw behind Griffin at second base tossing the ball into left field allowing the sophomore to score and give C-N a 1-0 edge.
Kyle rolled a single through the right side of the infield with one out in the fourth. After stealing second, he moved to third base on a wild pitch on ball four to Thompson. Kilian Daughtry (Simpsonville, S.C.) drove a fly ball to right to score Kyle on the sacrifice fly and stretch the margin to 2-0.
With two men on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Goforth ripped a single to right field to score Wroth and push the differential to 3-0. C-N stranded the bases loaded in the stanza.
Cagle had walked three batters, two of which were thrown out trying to steal second base, over the first six innings entering the seventh. On a 1-1 pitch, Lane Casto line a single back up the middle to bust up the no-hit bid. After a walk, the lefty picked up a strikeout before walking Brock Stewart to put the tying run on base. The Eagles went to the bullpen calling up Matt Bradley (Talbott, Tenn.). The righty secured his fourth save of the year striking out the next two batters swinging on 1-2 offerings.
C-N outhit the Battlers 4-1 in the contest as Griffin went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the home club. Tylyn James did not have an official at-bat on the other side but drew three walks for the visitors.
Having never struck out more than five in a game, Cagle struck out 12 over 6 1/3 innings yielding five walks and one hit carrying a no-hitter late into a game for the second time in his career.
The Eagles and Battlers close out the four-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. from the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. Coverage is on the Eagle Sports Network by visiting cneagles.com/live.
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