Staff report

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Catawba’s baseball team headed to Carson-Newman in first place in the South Atlantic Conference, but returned home tied for first.

Catawba (22-8, 11-4) won two out of three against Carson-Newman (19-10, 11-7) at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex, but needed one more clutch hit to sweep.

Meanwhile, Wingate rolled to a three-game sweep of Mars Hill to move into a tie with the Indians.

Catawba won handily in Saturday’s opener and took Sunday’s first game 9-4.

Cooper Bryson had five RBIs. He had a two-run single and his three-run homer, his first of the season, pushed a 6-4 lead to 9-4.

Payne Stolsworth (6-1) pitched five innings for the win, and Mason Gwyn and Brandon Rodgers were close to flawless in relief.

Drew Robertson had three hits. Levi Perrell and Sam Hunter had two.

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Catawba got a strong start from Carson Edmiston in the nightcap, which was scheduled for seven innings. He made it into the fifth without allowing a run.

It was a scoreless game going to the sixth. Logan Rogers hit his eighth homer for the Indians, a two-run shot for the lead, but Carson-Newman got back to 2-all.

Catawba had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, but the Eagles turned a double play.

Dalton McLain won the game for Carson-Newman with a walk-off single in the eighth.

Casey Gouge (2-2) took the loss.

Catawba gets back in action on Tuesday at UNC Pembroke.