Jefferson City, Tenn. — The third-ranked Catawba College baseball team and Carson-Newman both had go-ahead extra-base hits in the final innings of both ends of a split Saturday doubleheader, as Catawba took the series – their 23rd straight in South Atlantic Conference play.
GAME ONE | Catawba 10, Carson-Newman 8
TEAM STATISTICS
- Both teams recorded nine hits
- Catawba hit two of three homers; both teams had four extra-base hits
- The Catawba Indians committed the lone error
- The Eagles recorded two of three stolen bases
- Catawba's pitchers allowed eight runs on nine hits and six walks, striking out seven; C-N's staff allowed 10 runs on nine hits and nine walks, striking out five
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Hunter Atkins was 3-for-5 with a homer, a triple, seven RBI and a run scored
- Brandon Crabtree doubled, drove in two and scored three runs
- Nathan Chrismon homered and scored twice
- Calvin Douglas got the win, recording five outs with no hits allowed
- Joe Burleyson picked up his SAC-leading sixth save of the season
HOW IT HAPPENED
FOURTH INNING
- A double put runners on second and third for Carson-Newman in the fourth
- Back-to-back sac flies put the first two runs of the game on the board with C-N leading 2-0
SIXTH INNING
- Logan Dyer led off the sixth with a walk, allowing Crabtree's double to score him to cut the deficit in half
- Atkins drove in Crabtree with an RBI single to center field to tie the game at 2
- The Eagles singled and stole second to lead off the bottom half; a double allowed Carson-Newman to regain the lead
- A balk allowed the Eagles to scratch across another run on an RBI groundout, leading 4-2
SEVENTH INNING
- Chrismon's solo homer brought Catawba to within a run in the seventh
- Logan Floyd's three-run homer extended the Eagle lead to 7-3
EIGHTH INNING
- Crabtree and Sam Hunter walked and singled, respectively, to lead off the eighth
- Atkins' three-run homer cut the Carson-Newman lead to a single run once again
- The leadoff Eagle in the bottom half walked and moved to second on a bunt
- A wild pitch moved him to third and he scored on a sac fly to give Carson-Newman an insurance score
NINTH INNING
- Catawba loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half
- Crabtree's RBI fielder's choice got Catawba within a run
- Atkins' hard-hit ball got past the left fielder, clearing the bases with a go-ahead, three-run tripe
- Carson-Newman hit a leadoff double and walked with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, bringing the winning run to the plate, but Burleyson forced a groundout to earn the win and the series
GAME TWO | Carson-Newman 6, Catawba 4
TEAM STATISTICS
- Both teams recorded seven hits
- Carson-Newman recorded all three homers; both teams had four extra-base hits
- Catawba committed the lone error of the contest
- The Catawba Indians recorded the only stolen base
- Carson-Newman's starter allowed four runs on seven hits and six walks, striking out nine; Catawba's staff allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks, striking out five
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Crabtree extended his hit streak to 17 games with two base knocks in game two, driving in two
- Casey Gouge went four innings in the start, allowing two runs on four hits and four punchouts
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST INNING
- Carson-Newman led off the bottom half of the first with a solo homer
SECOND INNING
- The Eagles followed with a solo blast in the second inning, leading 2-0
SIXTH INNING
- Matthew Connolly and Jake Dunlap both doubled to lead off the sixth, putting runners at second and third
- Chrismon's sac fly scored a run to cut C-N's lead in half
- Malachi Cloud's RBI double down the left field line tied the game at 2
- Crabtree put Catawba on top with a two-run single with two outs, leading 4-2
- A Carson-Newman double put runners on second and third in the bottom half
- Matthew Bishop's two-run single tied the game at 4
- Cole Nathan hit the go-ahead, two-run homer that proved to be the difference
UP NEXT
- Catawba returns to the road next Tuesday, traveling to 25th-ranked Francis Marion for a 5 p.m. start
