Jefferson City, Tenn. – Lenoir-Rhyne (19-15, 5-10) and Carson-Newman (18-17, 7-8) split a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Complex.  The Bears won the first game, 3-1, but fell in the nightcap by an 8-7 score.

Game One – Lenoir-Rhyne 4, Carson-Newman 3
The Bears were able to pull out the victory thanks to two runs on wild pitches and the pitching tandem of juniors Landon Whitson (Marion, N.C.) and Tad Ratliff (Taylorsville, N.C.).

Whitson (2-2) allowed just two earned runs in six innings of work while Ratliff pitched three scoreless innings for his fourth save of the year.  In addition, senior second baseman David Newcomer (Archdale, N.C.) drove in a run for the Bears.

For Carson-Newman, Ryan Addington (Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied three hits and a RBI but Ryan Eberle (Cincinnati, Ohio) fell to 2-5 after taking the loss for the Eagles.

Game Two – Carson-Newman 8, Lenoir-Rhyne 7 (seven innings)
The Eagles' Greg Jones (Maryville, Tenn.) hit a two-run home run and Carson-Newman was able to hold off a late Bears' rally to split the season series.

Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore third baseman Zach Jacobs (Moncks Corner, N.C.) hit a three-run home run as part of a four-run seventh inning but the Eagles were able to register the final out with two runners on base.  Carson-Newman's Will Gardner (Morristown, Tenn.) improved to 4-2 after going the distance in the complete game victory.

For Lenoir-Rhyne, sophomore Josh Kent (Winston-Salem, N.C.) drove in a pair of runs while junior Matt Sullivan (Bristol, Tenn.) (0-1) suffered the loss.

Lenoir-Rhyne will face Pfeiffer in Misenheimer, N.C., on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.  Before that, the Bears host the Hickory Crawdads on Monday in an exhibition at L.P. Frans Stadium beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Carson-Newman plays at King (Tenn.) in Bristol, Tenn., on Wednesday starting at 3:30 p.m.