JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman University had the strikeout pitch working Friday as the Eagles punched out 30 Cavaliers in a doubleheader baseball sweep. Starter Dillon Cate fanned 11 as part of a 14-strikeout out performance for Carson-Newman in an 11-3 win in the opener before Dalton Long duplicated the performance with 11 K's as part of a 16-punchout showing in a 5-3 Eagles' win in the finale.
In the opener, Cate (1-0) was masterful on the mound. The East Tennessee State University transfer struck out 11 while scattering four hits in seven innings of work.
The Eagles staked the hurler to a 3-0 lead in the home first as Carson-Newman lined a trio of doubles in the frame.
UVa-Wise would get to within a run in the top of the third inning when redshirt junior Brett Yates plated Jordon Turner on a run-scoring double before later scoring an unearned run on an Eagles' error.
It would be as close as Hank Banner's team would get as the hosts posted two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and three in the eighth to cruise to the 11-3 victory.
The Cavaliers final run came when junior David Thomas scored on sophomore Tyler Blaum's RBI groundout.
UVa-Wise was limited to four hits in the series opening loss, sophomore Matthew Branham collected two of the hits; Yates' double was the lone extra-base hit of the game for the Cavs.
Sophomore right-hander Will Stamper took the loss on the mound. The Lebanon, Va. product surrendered three runs on five hits in three innings of work. Stamper struck out two against three walks before the trio of RJ Vanvickle, Clay Naff and Jimmy Vanosdale finished out the game.
Vanosdale pitched a perfect eighth as the freshman induced a pair of groundouts and a fly out in his one inning of work.
Carson-Newman tallied 10 hits, including six doubles in the win. Third baseman Brett Langhorne went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored from his lead off position while Snapp knocked in three and scored a run as part of his 2-for-5 game.
Nevill and Long locked up in a pitcher's duel through the first three innings of game two.
UVa-Wise broke through in the top of the third when redshirt sophomore Josh Haga singled home Yates to give the Cavs their first lead of the day.
An inning later, the Eagles pounced for three runs. Colby Morgan lined a two-RBI double in the inning before an RBI groundout by Josh Sharpe extended the Carson-Newman advantage to 3-1.
Junior Dave Thomas would tie the game in the top of the fifth when he belted his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, over the right-centerfield wall.
The momentum was short lived as the Eagles countered with a pair of runs. Snapp had an RBI single in the pivotal inning before Charlie Brown scored on an RBI groundout.
Carson-Newman's bullpen would make the two-run advantage hold as Greg Valentine and Will Gardner turned in 2 1/3 innings of perfect work. Valentine earned the win by recording just one out in the contest to improve to 1-0 on the year while Gardner collected his second save of 2018.
Kellen Larkin (0-1) took the loss out of the bullpen for UVa-Wise. Nevill's final line read four innings, five hits, three runs, two walks and two strikeouts in his first start of the season.
Haga had two of UVa-Wise's five hits in the game to run his early season batting average to .538.
UVa-Wise will be off next week before returning to play next weekend at Southern Wesleyan. Please visit www.uvawisecavs.com for schedule updates.
