VIDEO: Jacob Overbeck Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – In just his eighth career at bat, Carson Cochran (Franklin, Tenn.) delivered his second career-hit, a hit that helped Carson-Newman (6-5, 1-0 SAC) walk off Newberry (3-9, 0-4 SAC) 6-5 in eleven innings on Friday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
"First off, to say that I have a lot of respect for Coach Triplett and his staff and how they do things is an understatement," Carson-Newman head baseball coach Tom Griffin said. "The way they coach, the way their players play, it's always a privilege to compete against him. It was a good game, it could've gone either way. We were fortunate to come out with a win. A lot of hold your breath type of stuff, a typical Friday night SAC baseball game against a great opponent."
Carson-Newman has now won eight of its last 12 SAC openers. The Eagles have won their third straight series opener to begin the season.
It's Carson-Newman's first walk off win this season, after recording four walk-off victories in 2023. C-N has now won four games when trailing by multiple runs in a game this season.
Both teams had opportunities to score in the first inning. The Wolves got a single and a walk with two outs but managed nothing. C-N recorded a leadoff single that was followed by a double play. Then, a two-out triple from James Denten (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) but he was stranded ninety feet away.
In innings two and three, both sides managed just one base runner and the two teams were scoreless through three and had just two hits.
Pridmore continued to deal and got himself out of a fourth inning jam. The right-hander hit two batters in the inning to put runners on the corners with two outs but struck out Luke Compton to escape the frame with a fourth scoreless inning.
Newberry took advantage of an error in the fifth. A one-out error allowed Donovan Ford to reach and advance to second on a groundout. Kade Faircloth sent a two-out single to right and scored Ford to put the Wolves up 1-0.
A pair of walks and a bunt single loaded the bases for C-N in the bottom half. The Eagles did not take advantage of the opportunity, hitting into a fielder's choice, striking out and popping out to end the threat.
After seeing Carson-Newman load the bases with nobody out, Newberry did the same in the top of the sixth inning. The Wolves were able to score twice off a groundball and an error and led 3-0.
A leadoff walk and single put runners on the corners with no one out. Logan Floyd (Adairsville, Ga.) put the ball in play and the second baseman misplayed the ball to score a run. After a Nicholas Castellana (Lancaster, N.Y) single, the bases were loaded for the second straight inning with no one out. Relief pitcher John Rollins hit Harrison Travis (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) with an 0-1 pitch to draw C-N within a run. After a strikeout, Trey Miller (Rocky Point, N.Y) singled to right to tie the game and keep the bases loaded. Dalton McLain (Greeneville, Tenn.) got a second consecutive opportunity with the bases load to strike and he delivered this time. The senior singled to left to plate two runners to cap a five-run sixth inning and put Carson-Newman ahead 5-3.
The Wolves got a run back in the seventh inning on a Jesse Free RBI double.
After the Eagles went down in order in the seventh inning, Newberry went back to work offensively. Pinch hitter Jomar Lugo led off with a single and two runners were walked to load the bases. With Jacob Lebron batting, a balk was called, and Ford scored to tie the game at 5. Wright escaped the bases loaded nobody out jam by getting a pop out and an inning ending double play.
Jacob Overbeck (Morris, Ill.) came in to pitch the ninth and got three consecutive ground balls to give C-N a chance in the ninth. However, the Eagles also went down in order and so C-N would head to extra innings for the first time this season.
Overbeck delivered another 1-2-3 frame, going six up and six down in his relief outing. C-N did not answer in the bottom half and we went to an 11th inning.
The first base runners of extra innings came from Newberry in the top of the 11th inning on a one-out single from Faircloth. Two more singles loaded the bases with two outs, but Overbeck got Free to groundout to keep it tied at 5.
A walk and a single kick-started C-N's eleventh inning attack to set Cochran up with an opportunity to come through and the rookie did. His single through the right side allowed Aiden Gibson (Cleveland, Tenn.) to hustle home after a bobble by the right fielder for C-N to walk it off.
Overbeck got the win firing three scoreless innings with the game tied. He allowed just three hits to record his second career victory.
"When Overbeck came in for us that was huge," Griffin said. "So happy for that young man. He works really hard and is a great kid. It was great to see his success."
Pridmore took the no-decision throwing 5 2/3 innings allowing zero earned runs and striking out four Wolves hitters. Wright recorded a pair of strikeouts out of the bullpen as well.
Denten and McLain each had two hits for C-N with McLain driving in two runs. Six of C-N's nine hits came with runners on base, hitting.400 in those situations.
Faircloth and Jolly each had three hits to pace a 13-hit Newberry attack. Starting pitcher Tyler Chinpire threw five innings and allowed three runs. The Wolves got three scoreless relief innings from John Rollings.
The series wraps up tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at noon. The contests will air on the Eagle Sports Network with video available on FloSports with a paid subscription and an audio-only stream on cneagles.com/live.
