Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--Carson-Newman (3-2) held 26th ranked USC Aiken (2-2) to just one run on seven hits in posting a 3-1 non-conference baseball win on a misty Friday evening at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. The Eagles have now won four-straight over the Pacers dating back to the 2005 season.
Matt Teague (1-1) worked 5.2 innings allowing only one unearned run on four hits and three walks in the win for Carson-Newman. Mark Carroll (1) held USCA scoreless over the final 3.1 innings, surrendering three hits and striking out three in notching his first save.
After a leadoff single by Jason Gray in the top of the second, Nick Achberger doubled home the Eagles' right fielder to take the early 1-0 lead. Gray finished 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Achberger was 2-for-4 while both he and Gray had two doubles each.
Carson-Newman extended its lead to 2-0 in the fifth on an RBI double down the line off the bat of Gray.
Chad Jacobsen smacked a one-out double down the left field line in the sixth, as he would come around to score with two outs on a throwing error by Achberger at third base, trimming the deficit to 2-1. Jacobsen finished 2-for-4 while
Ben Tankersley was also 2-for-4.
Gray doubled to left field to open the eighth, eventually scoring on a Michael Brown single, tacking on an insurance run 3-1.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Pacers got a pair of pinch-hit singles from
Chris Sheehan and
Nick Ogurchak with two outs, but could not score.
Jon Paul (0-2) suffered the hard-luck loss tossing 7.1 innings, scattering nine hits and three walks, fanning six and allowing three earned runs.
Ryan Mitchell held the Eagles to one hit, striking out two over the final 1.2 innings.
USC Aiken and Carson-Newman will play game two of their three-game weekend series tomorrow at 1:00 PM at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
Carson-Newman.....010 010 010 - 3 10 2
#26 USC Aiken..........000 001 000 - 1 7 1
E - Achberger 2; Spivey. LOB - Eagles 10; Pacers 9. 2B - Potts(2); Gray 2(2); Achberger 2(2); Jacobsen(1). HBP - Potts; Pui. SH - McMahon(1). SB - Potts 2(2); Gray 2(2); Tankersley(1). CS - Joehnk(2).
