May 16, 2008

TAMPA, Fla. - The fifth-seeded Carson-Newman Eagles (42-17) staved off elimination to beat sixth-seeded Stillman (26-26) 7-5 in game four of the NCAA II Baseball South Regional, sending the Tigers packing and helping the Eagles to match a school record for wins in a single season.

Carson-Newman ties the record of 42 wins, set in 1999, the last time the Eagles reached the Division II College World Series. Stillman got on the board in the top of the first after two Eagle fielding errors allowed leadoff man Clay Gilliam, who singled to left field, and shortstop Bubba Fritcher to cross home plate.

Carson-Newman answered back in the bottom half when, after a pair of walks by Stillman starter Chase Wilson (10-5) to start the inning, Derek Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and Nick Achberger (Anderson, S.C) knocked in a run each with consecutive singles through the left side of the infield. The Eagles would add a run in the third and three more in the fifth to bring the score to 6-2.

The Tigers kept it close, as they continued to receive production from designated hitter David Holcombe, who went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs on the day, including a two run homer in the sixth inning to end the afternoon for Eagles' starter Wes McIntyre (Chattanooga, Tenn., WP, 6-2). Holcombe's home run brought the Tigers back within two before Carson-Newman right-fielder Tyler Wynn (LaGrange, Ga.) win doubled and eventually came around on a wild pitch from Wilson.

Stillman started the top of the ninth with a double from Casey Orr off of reliever Jake McDonald (Shelbyville, Ky.). The rally continued when Gilliam slapped a single to right-center scoring Orr and right-hander Dustin Dalton (Blaine, Tenn.) came in to pitch. Dalton worked himself into a bases-loaded, one-out jam against the Tigers before C-N head coach Tom Griffin pulled him in favor of Corbin Arial (Elgin, S.C.)

Arial induced a game-ending double play to earn his team-leading sixth save.

#5 Carson-Newman will play tomorrow at 3 p.m. The Eagles will face Florida Tech Saturday, if the Panthers beat top-seeded Tampa Friday afternoon. If Tampa wins, the Eagles will face the Catawba/Tusculum loser.