JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Eagles baseball team (5-4, 1-0 South Atlantic Conference) defeated the no. 19 Tusculum Pioneers (5-3, 0-1 South Atlantic Conference) by a 9-7 score at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex on Friday afternoon.

The Eagles took advantage of six Tusculum errors in the contest, and the win is Carson-Newman's third over a ranked opponent in the past five games.

"This is a nice rivalry because it's a friendly rivalry," said Carson-Newman head baseball coach Tom Griffin. "We know it's going to be a dogfight with them all the time, certainly nice to get a win."

Carson-Newman starter Chris Armstrong (2-1) earned the victory after allowing four runs on three hits with six walks and seven strikeouts in his seven and a third innings on the mound. Carson-Newman reliever Ryan Fillers worked the final inning and two-thirds, and despite allowing three runs on five hits he collected the final out in the ninth by striking out Taylor Foster with the tying-run at second base. Tusculum starter Taylor Rakes (1-1) took the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

The Eagles took the game's first lead in the bottom of the third when an error on Tusculum second baseman Matt Henriksen allowed Zach Long to reach first and score Peter Rajkovich to give Carson-Newman a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers took the lead in the top of the fifth, as Heath Comerford hit a two-run homer to straightaway center to put Tusculum on top 2-1.

Carson-Newman responded with a five-run bottom of the sixth inning. After an E5 allowed Brandon Roberts to reach second, Bo Ausmus hit an RBI single into centerfield to score Roberts before the centerfielder Jalen Shuffler misplayed the ball, allowing Ausmus to race home and score to put the Eagles on top 3-2. The next batter Cody Fox homered to left field to put the advantage at 4-2. Two batters later, Bryan Everhart and Evan Kirkpatrick collected back-to-back singles before the second error by Henriksen allowed both men to score on a groundball hit by Rajkovich to put the score at 6-2 in favor of the Eagles. In all, the Eagles scored five runs on four hits, three errors with one man left on base in the last of the sixth.

Kevin Franchetti added to the Eagle lead with an RBI double in the seventh inning to put the lead at 7-2 going into the top of the eighth. Tusculum would bat around in the eighth, with Henriksen providing a two-run homer, as well as an RBI groundout from Taylor Foster and a pinch-hit RBI single for Vinny Ferrara to get the Pioneers within a run at 7-6. The Eagles tacked on two runs in the last of the eighth, with a run scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Roberts.

Carson-Newman led 9-6 entering the top of the ninth, and Fillers struck out the first two batters. The next three hitters collected a pair of doubles and a single, with Zach Ross hitting an RBI double to put the score at 9-7. With two men in scoring position and the tying run at second, Fillers struck out Foster to end the game.

Kirkpatrick continued his hot hitting at the plate by going 3-for-4 while scoring two runs for the Eagles.

The series continues tomorrow with a doubleheader, with the lidlifter beginning at noon. Senior RHP Alex Britt (0-1, 4.38 ERA) will start on the mound for the Eagles in the first game, with sophomore RHP Quinton Yocum (1-1, 4.38 ERA) getting the nod in the series finale. Coverage of all games of the Tusculum series is available on www.cneagles.com with live stats and broadcasts on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network.