Box Score BRISTOL, Tenn. – In their first midweek home game of the year, the King University baseball team looked to get a win over in-state opponent Carson-Newman University in a game that took 11 innings for a result. King held multiple leads in the contest; however the Eagles tied the game up in the eighth inning and eventually defeated the Tornado in 11 innings, 8-5.
The scoring started fast when Carson-Newman (15-14) took an early 1-0 lead when Brandon Roberts doubled and was brought home on an Evan Jurjevic double to left center field. The Tornado scored two in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Raymond started everything off with a single up the middle. Jose Sola stepped up to the plate and tripled to right center, scoring Raymond to tie the game up at one. Ryan Whitt grounded out to short to give the Tornado a 2-1 lead heading into the second inning.
Mitch Stophel recorded a quick inning for the Tornado on the mound in the top of the second and Josh Stephens posted a hit for King (13-15) in the bottom of the second but after two innings, King led Carson-Newman 2-1. The third inning was full of runs as both teams tallied two in the their half of the inning. First, in the top half, a Roberts walk led to a Bo Ausmus triple scoring Roberts and Ausmus eventually scored on a King throwing error. In the bottom half, a Preston Douglas single brought home Whitt and Sola for King's two runs in the inning. After three innings, King continued to lead the Eagles 4-3.
The fourth and fifth innings were quick for both teams as one hit was recorded for each. Carson-Newman got on the board again in the sixth inning to tie the game up at four. A Greg Jones walk led to a Bryan Everhart double scoring Jones on the hit. Stephens added a hit for the Tornado in the bottom of the inning but after six in the books, King and Carson-Newman were knotted up at four.
Carson-Newman left the bases loaded and King capitalized in the bottom of the inning, taking a 5-4 lead. Braden Cook walked followed by a Sola single advancing Cook to third. A Whitt single brought home Cook giving King the lead late in the game. The Eagles tied the game up in the top of the eighth and the game headed into extra innings.
King threated in the bottom of the 10th but the inning ended with the bases loaded and Carson-Newman pushed three across in the top of the 11th by way of five hits. The Tornado would go one, two, three and fell to Carson-Newman 8-5.
Leading the way for the Tornado was Whitt and Douglas whom both recorded two runs batted in. Stophel recorded four innings pitch allowing three runs, two of which were earned. Earning the win for the Eagles was Michael Cogliano while the loss was handed to Andrew Phemister.
The Tornado will be back in action on Wednesday, February 24 when they will host Bluefield State College. First pitch is slated for 3:00 pm at the King Baseball field.
