GREENWOOD - Jordan Owens collected five hits while Michael Vesnesky and Brooks Reames homered, leading the Lander Bearcats to a non-conference baseball double-header sweep over Carson-Newman 15-9 and 4-2 Thursday at Legion Field. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)
Lander scored 11 runs in the fifth inning of Game 1, completing a rally from a five-run deficit on a cold, blustery afternoon that turned into evening.
The Bearcats improved to 11-2 on the season while Carson-Newman fell to 4-6.
The visiting Eagles jumped ahead with five unearned runs in the top of the second inning of Game 1. Mason Guymon drew a bases-loaded walk to score the game's first run and Aaron Vargas followed with a grand slam, giving the Eagles a 5-0 lead.
Lander got back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the third with Aaron Fludd and Devin Ridlehoover getting the rally started with a single and walk, respectively. Robert Skinner belted an RBI double, Bud Lanier reached on an infield single, Owens singled home one run, and Reames added a run-scoring fielder's choice.
Vesnesky led off the bottom of the fourth with his first collegiate hit, a home run that pulled the Bearcats within 5-4.
Carson-Newman pushed its lead to four runs, 8-4, with three runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by Corey Lamson's two-run single. But the Eagles' lead would be short-lived.
Lander scored its 11 runs in the bottom of the fifth on six hits and five errors. Vesnesky and Fludd each drove in runs with bases-loaded walks, several runs scored as a direct result of errors, Owens had a sacrifice fly, and Reames capped the inning with a three-run homer to left. Reames' first homer of the season gave the Bearcats a 15-8 lead.
Carson-Newman scored the final run of Game 1 on Evan Patterson's RBI double.
Brandon Farquhar (3-0) was the winning picher in relief for Lander while D.J. Ferguson took the loss.
Leading hitters for the Bearcats in the opener were Owens, 3-for-3, two RBI; Vesnesky, 2-for-3, two RBI and two runs; Reames, 1-for-4, four RBI and two runs; Fludd, 1-for-3, RBI and two runs; Lanier, 2-for-5 with two runs; Ridlehoover, 0-for-4 but with two RBI and two runs; and Skinner, 1-for-5 with an RBI and two runs.
Jeff Lockwood led the Eagles, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two stolen bases. Lamson went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Vargas 1-for-4 with four RBI.
Lander carried its Game 1 momentum into the second game by scoring three runs in the first on a series of two-out errors. The Bearcats only had one hit in the inning, a single by Owens.
After Carson-Newman scored once in the top of the third on Derek Long's RBI single, Lander increased its lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third. Ridlehoover and Skinner reached on bunt singles, and Owens singled home the run with his fifth hit of the day.
The Eagles pulled within 4-2 in the fourth, scoring on a passed ball.
But Game 2 would be much different from the opener as the Bearcats were able to make the 4-2 lead stand up.
Darrin Tew (3-1) was the winning pitcher while Drew Elliott picked up his third save of the season. Evan Faithfull took the loss for Carson-Newman.
Owens was Lander's leading hitter in Game 2, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Long led the Eagles, also going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
