HARROGATE, Tenn. – Harrison Travis homered for the 10th time and Grif Hughes and Hunter Harritan had scoreless relief outings for Carson-Newman (22-17, 15-9 SAC) to secure a series win over Lincoln Memorial (24-15, 15-12 SAC) by splitting a doubleheader on Saturday at Lamar Hennon Field.
After losing the first game of the day, Carson-Newman reacted well by holding on for a one-run victory to clinch a series win over Lincoln Memorial. C-N wins its sixth series of the season and its third straight away from Mossy Creek.
"That's a phenomenal hitting team," Carson-Newman head baseball coach Tom Griffin said. "They are very good. We knew that was going to be tough, that is the way this conference is. We knew the last game would be a nailbiter that's how things are with them. I love the way our guys responded. First of all, Andrew Bench gave us a great start from the beginning. What more can we say about Grif Hughes? His stuff this weekend was as good as I've seen it. And then Hunter Harritan for his ninth save of the year. Just really really good stuff. He got himself in trouble but found a way to get out of it. The key to all of that was Spencer Bright. The saves he made with a breaking ball in the dirt and a runner at third base, that's invaluable. That really helped us win the ball game. Super proud of our guys and the leadership they showed."
The Eagles continue their winning ways in league play. Griffin's crew has now won eight of its last ten SAC games.
Both wins for C-N in this series saw the pitching staff allow just a combined five runs. The Eagles improve to 16-2 when their opponent scores four runs or less.
Harritan's six-out save gives him nine for the season, putting him in fourth place alone all-time for most saves in C-N history. Hughes threw two scoreless innings allowing one hit while striking out two batters to earn his seventh win of the season. It's the most in a season since Matt Bradley went 8-0 in 2022.
Game One: Lincoln Memorial 16, Carson-Newman 7
Aiden Gibson (Cleveland, Tenn.) began the scoring by launching his second career home run over the left field wall to make it 1-0 C-N in the second inning.
Lincoln Memorial responded in the bottom of the inning. With runners at second and third, Deatric Alexander grounded out to score a run to even the score.
The first three batters of the third inning reached for Carson-Newman. James Denten (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) knocked his first hit of the afternoon through the left side to put C-N back in front. Back-to-back RBI groundouts from Harrison Travis (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) and Logan Floyd (Adairsville, Ga.) extended the lead and completed a three-run third inning.
The Railsplitters once again responded in the bottom of the frame. LMU scored three runs on four extra base hits, highlighted by a two-run home run to level the tally after three.
LMU got its first lead in the next half inning on a Kasten Harvey two-out RBI double into the left center field gap.
Two more runs scored in the bottom of the fifth on a Mast double to center and the LMU advantage was 7-4 after five frames.
Alex Kowalski singled in a run in the sixth to make it 8-4 after six. LMU scored four unanswered runs in the middle innings and C-N was unable to manage a base hit in that stretch.
Carson-Newman got its first hit in more than five innings after a Spencer Williams (Seymour, Tenn.) single to center field to put runners at first and second. That set the table for Denten who blasted his ninth home run over the right center field wall and brought the Eagles within a run in the 7th.
Just when C-N got close, LMU pushed the lead back out by scoring three times on three hits to lead 11-7 after seven innings.
The Railsplitters scored five more times on five hits in the eighth to run away with the first game of the doubleheader.
Carson-Newman had four hits through three innings and had just three in the final six innings.
Game Two: Carson-Newman 3, Lincoln Memorial 2
Just like game one, C-N struck first by scoring a pair of runs in the second inning. With two outs, Ryan Potts (Dandridge, Tenn.) singled through the right side to score Gibson and Castellana and the Eagles led 2-0 after two innings.
Bowen went yard for the second time in the doubleheader, sending a two-run shot over the left field wall to tie the game in the 3rd inning.
The Eagles threatened to regain the lead in the 5th inning. Base hits by Williams and McLain put runners in scoring position with two outs. Denten worked a long at bat, but struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch.
Grif Hughes (Knoxville, Tenn.) entered as a reliever in the fourth inning, retiring the first five batters he faced and blank the Railsplitters in innings four and five.
The lead was C-N's again when Travis sent his 10th home run of the season over the left field wall to make it 3-2 in the 6th inning.
YES SIRRRRR @whtravis2 hits his 10th home run of the year to give Carson-Newman the lead����
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) April 13, 2024
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After Hughes' two scoreless innings, that gave way to right-hander Hunter Harritan (Huntersville, N.C.) to try and hold onto the lead.
In the sixth, Harritan saw a runner advance all the way to third base with nobody out. Cool as can be, he struck out three consecutive Railsplitters to strand that runner and keep the lead intact.
Harritan would have to navigate through the seventh inning as well. A pinch hit leadoff single started the inning for LMU. A sac bunt moved the runner to second base with one out. A groundout moved the runner to third with two away. Kasten Harvey worked a long at bat to extend the game one more batter, drawing a walk to put runners at the corners. Just like Harvey, Boles followed with another long at bat, and drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. Harritan regrouped and got Bowen to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
SERIES WIN. @HHarritan escapes the bases-loaded jam to hold on for his 9th save of the season��✅
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) April 13, 2024
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FINAL pic.twitter.com/bmHa3rGZBL
Game two starter Andrew Bench threw the first three innings of the game. He scattered five hits allowing two runs and had one strikeout.
Between both games of the doubleheader, McLain, Denten, Gibson and Williams all had two hits. Denten led the way offensively with four RBI, while Potts drove in two.
Ethan Bobo took the loss for LMU despite striking out eight batters in five innings of work.
Carson-Newman returns to action on Tuesday afternoon for a midweek road contest against #12 Young Harris.
