JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman University Baseball Team (10-0, 3-0 SAC) completed the three-game sweep of Emory & Henry University (1-8, 0-3 SAC) Sunday afternoon as they defeated the Wasps in South Atlantic Conference action. The Wasps ran out to an early 5-0 lead, but the Eagles stormed back with four runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to earn the win by a 7-6 margin.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Carson-Newman 7, Emory & Henry 6
LOCATION – Jefferson City, Tennessee
VENUE – Silver Diamond Baseball Complex
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-8, 0-3 SAC); Carson-Newman (10-0, 3-0 SAC)
How It Happened
The Wasps wasted no time getting in the run column as they posted a pair in the top of the first inning. Senior second baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) drew a two-out walk then senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.) followed with his second home run of the year as he blasted a two-run bomb over the wall in left to put the visitors from Emory on top 2-0 early.
E&H added two more runs in the top of the second. Junior outfielder Isaiah Bracy (Henrico, Va.) laced a leadoff double down the line in right, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from fifth-year catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) and scored on fifth-year outfielder Matt Hill's (Pineville, N.C.) RBI single. Fifth-year outfielder Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) delivered an RBI double two batters later and the Wasps held a 4-0 advantage.
Freshman pitcher Cole Gillis (Charlotte, N.C.) continued to sit down Carson-Newman batters as he retired the first 15 Eagles that he faced. The Wasps tacked on another run in the top of the sixth inning. Bailey singled through the right side of the infield and stole second base to put himself in scoring position. Bailey moved up to third when Foley reached on a fielding error, then scored when sophomore third baseman Jack Ferguson (Abingdon, Va.) drove him in on another Eagles error to run the score out to 5-0 in favor of E&H.
The Eagles had an answer in the home half of the sixth inning as they strung together four runs on six hits to pull back within one at 5-4. Carson-Newman would go on to add three more runs on three hits in the bottom of the seventh to take their first lead of the game at 7-5 heading into the final two innings of play.
E&H got a run back in the top of the eighth inning when freshman shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) and Foley led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Ferguson advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt and Smith plated Hoppes with an RBI groundout to reduce the deficit to 7-6. The Wasps managed to get the tying run to third base in the top of the ninth, but could not push him across as the Eagles took the win by the 7-6 final score.
Jaxon Seritt earned the win on the mound for C-N as he allowed one run on a pair of hits in .2 innings of work. Eli Norris picked up his third save of the season for the Eagles after giving up just one hit in two innings on the hill. Fifth-year pitcher Jack Swarbrick (Haverhill, Mass.) took the loss for Emory & Henry as he surrendered three runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Bebber paced the Wasps offensively as he went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and the long ball. His 15 RBIs for the season places him tied for third in the SAC, while his pair of home runs puts him in a tie for fourth in the conference. Foley had a pair of hits and a run driven in while Bailey also finished with two base knocks.
Up Next
Emory & Henry is back on the road on Tuesday, February 18 when they travel to Tigerville, South Carolina to take on nationally-ranked North Greenville University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Ray & Bea Dillard Field.
--E&H--