SALISBURY, N.C. — Catawba swept a doubleheader from visiting Carson-Newman in South Atlantic Conference baseball action on Saturday afternoon at Newman Park, winning 8-3 and 6-0. The 28th-ranked Catawba Indians got outstanding starts from senior Trevor Mullins (Jamestown, NC/Ragsdale HS/Appalachian St.) and freshman Nick Lomascolo (Mooresville, NC/Lake Norman HS) to improve to 34-9 overall and 16-8 in the SAC. The Eagles fall to 29-15 and 15-9.
Mullins got past a shaky third inning then proceeded to strike out a career-high 15 batters in the complete game win. The righty improved to 7-2 on the year, allowing three runs on just four hits with a pair of walks. It equaled the fourth most strikeouts in a game by an Indian in school history.
Carson-Newman led the opener 3-0 after scoring a run in the second following a leadoff double by Corey Lamson (Gray, TN) and adding two more in the third on a home run by Cody Nix (Cartersville, GA) and a single by Derek Long (Jefferson City, TN). Mullins avoided further damage as he induced a double play groundout with runners at first and second then got out of the frame on a fly out.
Catawba used a pair of Eagle errors to plate a two runs in the fourth and took the lead in the sixth. Ryan Bostian (Kannapolis, NC/S. Rowan HS/Montreat) doubled home the tying run, but it was three two out hits that did the damage. John Neese (Summerfield, NC/NW Guilford HS/Guilford Tech) singled home the go ahead run, Zeb Link (Woodleaf, NC/W. Rowan HS) brought a run in on a swinging bunt to third and Brett Underwood (Greensboro, NC/SW Guilford HS) singled home the final two of the inning.
That would be plenty of support for Mullins, who got stronger over the final innings. He allowed just one hit after the third inning and sat down the final ten he faced. Seven of those were on strikeouts, including the side in the ninth. Josh Hohn (Greensboro, NC/S. Guilford HS/N. Greenville) had three hits and scored a pair of runs for the Tribe. Link had two hits and two RBI, while Underwood drove in three runs.
Lomascolo was equally as dominate in game two, allowing just four base runners in tossing the shutout. He gave up three hits and hit a batter, while striking out seven to improve to 5-2. Carson-Newman had two base runners in the third in its biggest threat to score. Aaron Vargas (Oak Ridge, TN) had a one-out bunt single and Mills Rogers (Simpsonville, NC) was hit by a pitch with two outs. Lomascolo ended the inning as he struck out the side.
Catawba scored single runs in each of the first three frames. Bostian doubled with one out in the first and scored on a two-out single by Hohn for the initial run. Garrett Furr (Gold Hill, NC/Mt. Pleasant HS) led off the second with a solo home run and Craige Lyerly (Salisbury, NC/E. Rowan HS) homered with two outs in the third. Lyerly extended his streak of reaching base safely to 78 games.
Lomascolo allowed just one base runner after the third, coming on a two-out double by Jeff Lockwood (Knoxville, TN) in the sixth. An error by the Eagles in the fifth led to RBI singles by Neese and Hohn as Catawba stretched its lead to 5-0. A failed pick-off attempt at third allowed Furr to score the final run in the sixth. Bostian, Neese and Furr each had two hits in the nightcap for the Indians.
(Courtesy of Catawba Sports Information)
