JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman right-hander Robby Thigpen (St. Petersburg, Fla.) allowed only a sixth-inning single in a complete game one-hitter as the Eagles swept a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader from visiting Anderson (S.C.) Saturday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. The Eagles won game one, 7-4, while Thigpen's effort led the win in game two, 2-1.
With the sweep, Carson-Newman improves to 6-10 on the year and 3-3 in SAC play, while Anderson falls to 9-9 on the year and is also 3-3 in league play.
Game One – Carson-Newman 7, Anderson 4
Carson-Newman's Troy Zawadzki (Shrewsbury, Mass.) had three hits and two RBIs, while Eagle starter Alex Britt (Salisbury, N.C.) scattered four hits over 8.1 as the Eagles grabbed game one, 7-4.
Zawadzki's solo home run in the fifth inning tied the game, 2-2, as the Eagles began to build momentum.
C-N would put the game away in the seventh with a five-hit, five-run frame to move ahead 7-3.
Aaron Vargas (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) delivered a two-RBI single and Cody Nix (Cartersville, Ga.) followed with a two-run triple as the Eagles scored four runs before recording an out in the inning.
Jon Dalton (Rutledge, Tenn.) doubled and Zawadzki singled in the inning to start the rally.
Anderson jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, getting to Britt with a pair of early hits. Leadoff batter Ryan Kirkland doubled and later scored on a Blake May single as the Trojans struck early.
Britt would settle down and allowed only two hits over the next seven innings of work until he took a 7-3 lead into the ninth.
AU would threaten in the top of the ninth as Erick Sanderson doubled to lead off the inning. He would score to cut the lead to three on a Shawn Delamontagne single.
However, C-N's closer Ryan Fillers (Greeneville, Tenn.) would come on to get a one-pitch save, inducing a double play out of AU's Troy Ambros to end the game.
Game Two – Carson-Newman 2, Anderson 1
Junior Robby Thigpen's no-hit bid was broken up on a lead -off single by Anderson's Thomas Padro in the top of the sixth inning, but that would be all the offense the Eagles' starter would allow in carrying C-N to a 2-1 win to complete the sweep.
Thigpen (WP, 1-1) struck out four and recorded nine fly outs to pick up his first win of the season.
The Eagles would pick up all the runs Thigpen needed in the fourth, taking advantage of an Anderson error and piling up three hits in the inning.
Junior Lance Rorex (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Morgan Gregory (Nashville, Tenn.) each singled and scored in the inning. Jon Dalton (Rutledge, Tenn.) added an RBI single in the frame to plate Rorex, while Gregory scored after stealing third and coming home on a throwing error by AU's Brett Scarberry.
Anderson starter Erick Sanderson pitched well despite taking the loss. He struck out three and allowed just six hits, including five singles.
Rorex led the Eagles going 2-for-3 with a double.
Carson-Newman returns to action on Wednesday when the Eagles host King. First pitch is at 2 p.m. in Jefferson City.
