Feb. 17, 2008

Final Stats

HARROGATE, TN - The Lincoln Memorial University baseball team came away with a two games out of three decision over the Eagles of Carson-Newman College on Saturday to take the opening South Atlantic Conference series of the year.

After defeating the Eagles 11-8 on Friday evening, Carson-Newman came back to tie the series at a game apiece in Saturday afternoon's opening game with a 15-5 run-rule victory over the Railsplitters. The Eagles' Wes McIntyre picked up the win as Carson-Newman improved to 8-4 overall and 1-1 in the South Atlantic Conference, while LMU's Mitch Kramer (Amherstberg, Ontario, Canada) got the loss.

Kramer gave up 11 hits, seven runs and five earned runs while walking no batters and striking out two. In the fifth inning, LMU sophomore Scott Erland (Pegram, TN) enter the game and received a rude welcome from the Eagles who collected four hits, four runs and two earned runs before he finally got the hook. LMU's Devin Karlsen (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) pitched the remaining two and a third innings, allowing four hits, four runs and four earned runs with one walk and two strikeouts.

With the final game of the series hanging in the balance, the rubber match proved to be a baseball fan's dream. Lincoln Memorial took a commanding 6-0 lead by the bottom of the third inning but Carson-Newman came back in the top of the fourth and fifth innings to score two runs. LMU junior pitcher Casey Sedley (Miami, FL) wavered somewhat on the mound but didn't break and later got help from his teammates both at the plate and in the field to tack on three more runs while holding the Eagles to only one additional run in the top of the ninth. Sedley pitched the full seven innings, allowing only six hits, three runs and two earned runs, while walking four batters and striking out five.

LMU junior Tommy Casto (Deerfield Beach, FL) was 3-4 at the plate with an RBI, while teammate Shane Kaufman (Miramar, FL) finished 2-4 at the plate with three runs batted in.

Carson-Newman returns to action on Wednesday as the Eagles travel to Pfieffer for a doubleheader.