JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (13-15) loaded the bases in the ninth inning with two out, but couldn't push across the tying run to extend the game in a 5-2 loss Wednesday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex to North Georgia (9-15).

The ending typified a game in which the Eagles left 13 runners stranded.

"We hit the ball much better over these games," Carson-Newman head coach Tom Griffin said. "But we've got to find the guy that can get the big hit with two strikes and two outs."

The loss is Carson-Newman's eighth straight.  The Eagles are two games below .500 for the first time since losing the opening two games of the season to Augusta State. 

The Eagles had four runs to make up in the ninth.  C-N got one back when Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) singled over the head of the shortstop to drive in Peter Rajkovich (Stockton, Calif.) and make it a 5-2 ball game. 

Carson-Newman had the bases loaded following a Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) double and a Kevin Franchetti walk (Highland, Ind.) with two out.  However, Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) fouled out to first to end the game. 

"We had great energy, everyone was pulling for one another," Griffin said. "We treated every inning like that ninth inning rally."

Early errors proved to be C-N's downfall.  The Eagles made three errors in the first four innings that allowed the Saints to jump out to a 3-1 lead. 

Fox and Ausmus led C-N at the plate.  Fox was two-for-five with an RBI, while Ausmus strengthened his team lead in batting average with a three-for-five day. 

"Our players noted that we can't be afraid to make a mistake," Griffin said. "We can't be waiting for something to go wrong and hope that we don't make a mistake, we need to be the aggressor."

Clayton Eames (Hoschton, Ga.) took the loss for C-N in his first career start (0-1).  Blake Gaubert picked up the win (1-1) for North Georgia after tossing six complete innings.  Chip Fleming garnered his first save of the year for the Saints. 

The Eagles stay at home Friday for a three-game conference series with Catawba.  First pitch Friday is scheduled for 2 p.m.  Coverage of the game is available on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network on cneagles.com. 

-CN-