AIKEN, S.C. – North Georgia took advantage of eight Carson-Newman walks to beat the Eagles, 7-2, on Friday in baseball action.
The Saints (2-2) get back to the .500 mark as they play in their second tournament in as many weekends, while Carson-Newman falls to 2-3 on the year with the loss.
Carson-Newman allowed 10 hits and eight free passes in the first of three weekend games at Hernandez Stadium in Aiken, S.C.
After lasting just 1.0 inning in North Georgia's season opener last week, starter Wes Coberly got back on track with his first win of the year in 5.1 innings of work. The sophomore carried the Saints, allowing four hits and two earned runs, while striking out three.
Coberly was followed by freshman reliever Jacob Beauchamp was tossed the final 3.2 innings and surrendered just two hits and no runs to earn his first collegiate save. Beauchamp walked three and punched out three in his second outing as a member of the Saints.
The offense was sparked by the top of the lineup, as Jordan Erisman gave the Saints their first run of the night with a solo home run in the third inning, one of his three runs batted in on the night.
Derek Hooper followed and tallied three hits of his own, including a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Brad Barto got his first start of the year in the field and made the most of it with two hits and as many runs scored.
Carson-Newman got two hits from freshman Bryan Everhart and Kyle Koeneman added a double and an RBI.
Starter Chris Armstrong (LP, 0-2) went 5.2 innings as the Eagles' starter. He allowed five hits and three walks, while striking out three.
After two runs in the third and three more in the fifth, the Saints held a 5-2 lead heading to the eighth inning where they continued to swing the bats. Back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases for Erisman who flied out to bring home a run, before Hooper singled down the left field line and a Carson-Newman throwing error sent Barto racing home for the final run of the game in a 7-2 victory.
C-N will face USC Aiken tomorrow at 1 p.m.
