HICKORY, NC - The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears are moving on! Facing off against #3 seed Carson-Newman, LR used five spots in the sixth and eighth innings to power their way past the Eagles 12-3.
William Girardi was fantastic in the win, allowing just one earned run in 7.1 innings of work while striking out seven batters.
Owen Blackledge was a menace at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three RBI's, two runs scored, and his 12th home run of the season.
INSIDE THEÂ MATCHUP:
Final:Â (2)Â Lenoir-Rhyne 12, (3) Carson-Newman 3
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (43-10), Carson-Newman (37-17)
Location:Â Hickory, NC | Durham Field
STORY OF THE GAME
- Carson-Newman struck first, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first.
- Owen Blackledge tied things at 1-1 in the top of the fourth with a solo shot to right field.
- Lenoir-Rhyne opened up the game with a five-spot in the fifth, sparked by a Blackledge RBI double.
- The rest of the sixth inning runs came off two-run home runs fom Cole Laskowski and Eli Willen.
- Nathan Kidder picked up two RBI's on a triple in the eighth, and Alex Khan scored him with an RBI single on the next at bat.
- RBI singles from Blackledge and Laskowski rounded out the inning's scoring.
- Blackledge closed out the game by gunning out a C-N runner at third who was tagging from second with a missle from right field.
STATS OF THE GAME
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- This was the 110th all-time meeting between these two teams.
- Lenoir-Rhyne played this game as the away team on the scoreboard.
- This is the Bears' first SAC Championship appearance since they won it all in 2022.
- LR won the SAC Tournament in 2022, 2001, and 2000.
UP NEXT:Â The Bears advance to next weekend's SAC Championship series at McCrary Park in Asheboro, N.C. They will face either #1 seed Catawba or #4 seed Limestone in a three game series. Game one will take place on Friday, May 9th at 4:00 p.m., with the next game and if necessary contest taking place on Saturday, May 12th at 12:00 and 4:00 p.m.
