Baseball Sweeps Carson-Newman for Series Victory

JEFFERSON CITY, TENN. - Strong solid pitching and timely hits proved to be the winning formula as the Mars Hill baseball team swept Carson-Newman on Saturday 3-1 and 2-1 at the Silver Dollar Baseball Complex. With today's victories, Mars Hill wins the series and wins their fourth out of five South Atlantic Conference three-game sets.

Game 1: Mars Hill 3, Carson-Newman 1

Caleb Edwards pitched a complete game while Jacob Rand drove in two runs as Mars Hill held off Carson-Newman for a 3-1 win.

Carson Newman got on the board in the first inning on a Cody Fox triple that plated Peter Rajkovich for a 1-0 Eagle lead.

Mars Hill plated a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Tommy Scala reached on a one-out double and scored on a Rand single. Following a popout, Rand stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring what proved to be the winning run on a passed ball.

The Lions added an insurance run in the ninth inning after Phillip Carroll reached on a leadoff single, advanced to second on an error and scored on a Rand double.

Rand went two-for-four with a single, double, stolen base and 2 RBIs. Scala went two-for-four with a single, double and stolen base. Carroll and David King also had hits for the Lions.

Edwards put the wraps on his second career complete game by retiring the Eagles in order in the eighth and ninth innings and in four of nine. Edwards scattered six hits, allowing one earned run with a free pass while striking out 10 batters.

Carson-Newman starter Dustin Dunagan was charged with the loss after he allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts in five innings.

Game 2: Mars Hill 2, Carson-Newman 1

Adam Daniel's fifth inning single scored the winning run as Dale Innes allowed six hits as Mars Hill completed the sweep and secured a series win.

Evan Rogers led off the fourth inning with a double and scored on a Nick Villalobos two-out single for a 1-0 Mars Hill lead. Carson-Newman tied the game in the bottom half of the frame thanks to a Brandon Roberts single that scored Bryan Everhart.

In the Mars Hill fifth, Shawn Weber struck out but reached on an error by Carson-Newman catcher Greg Jones. Weber stole second and scored on Daniel's base hit with two outs.

Carson-Newman threatened in the sixth inning after Innes hit Everhart to lead off the inning. Everhart was retired on a fielder's choice, putting Evan Kirkpatrick at first. Kirkpatrick stole second, but was stranded after Innes struck out Jones to end the inning.

Daniel went two-for-three with a single, double and RBI to lead the Lion offense. Villalobos went one-for-two with a single and an RBI. Rogers went one-for-four with a double, with Dalton Eisenbath collecting a double.

Innes earned his third win of the season, allowing one run on six hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in seven innings. Vince Apicella was charged with the loss after he allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.

Mars Hill has a short turnaround, traveling to King on Monday before hosting Limestone on Tuesday. The Lions host current SAC leader Wingate for a three-game set beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday