JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Three Newberry pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts and Kevin Rufus hit a leadoff home run as Newberry beat Carson-Newman on Senior Day, 5-1, at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
Newberry improves to 19-25 and 12-13 in SAC play, while the Eagles fall to 22-23 overall and 11-14 in SAC play.
Newberry starter Josh McElwee shut down the C-N offense, scattering three hits and two infield singles to improve to 5-2 on the year. He struck out eight and lost his shutout attempt on a botched rundown.
McElwee's effort spoiled the Eagles Senior Day as C-N honored its five seniors before the game, one of which was C-N ace Robby Thigpen, who has missed his last two starts in an already thin Eagle rotation.
Newberry centerfielder Kevin Rufus stroked the second pitch of the game out to right center to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead right out of the gate.
Newberry added to its lead in the fourth as the first three batters of the inning reached on Eagles' starter Lucas Watson.
A leadoff walk to Andy Vogel and back-to-back hits from Albert Baur and Robby Scaggs gave the Wolves a 3-0 lead. Scaggs lined a double off the wall in right center to score two as the big blow in the inning.
The Eagles got a run back in the bottom of the fourth as Lance Rorex, who was caught in a rundown off of first, collided with Wolves' second baseman Hunter Cox, and was awarded second on the interference call. Kyle Koeneman raced home on the play to cut the lead to 3-1.
Scaggs helped Newberry pull away again in the sixth with an RBI double inside the bag at third to score Vogel. Brendan Sheridan followed with an RBI single to the same spot to plate Skaggs and extend the lead to 5-1.
Jeremy Long backed up McElwee's strong six innings with five strikeouts in two innings of work. Matt Chapman tossed the ninth for Wolves to get the 14th strikeout.
Lucas Watson (L, 1-5) struck out two in 7.1 innings pitched in taking the loss.
The two teams wrap up a three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow. First pitch is at noon in Jefferson City.
