College baseball: Indians sweep, take SAC title

Staff report

HARROGATE, Tenn. — Ryan Street (Carson) threw the last pitch of the South Atlantic Conference season for Catawba’s championship baseball team.

Street, making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, has thrown only four innings so far this season, but the one he threw Sunday is one he’ll remember.

Street finished off a lopsided rout of Lincoln Memorial. The Indians swept the weekend road series 10-0, 3-2 in 12 innings, and 13-1 to clinch the regular-season championship and the top seed for the conference tournament.

Catawba (36-12, 25-5) finished two games ahead of Lenoir-Rhyne (40-9, 23-7). Carson-Newman (35-15, 21-9) finished four games back of the Indians.

Payne Stolsworth (West Rowan) took charge of the opening game of the series on Saturday. Stolsworth (9-2) struck out five, walked one and scattered five hits for his fourth complete game.

Ty Hubbrd (South Rowan) had a triple and drove in four runs. Hunter Atkins and James Dunlap had three hit each. Dylan Driver (Carson) had two hits and two RBIs.

Casey Gouge (West Rowan) threw seven strong innings in the opening-game marathon on Sunday. Catawba got great relief work from Brandon Rodgers (5-1) and Hayden Simmerson (Carson), who notched his 13th save.

Parker Styborski’s sac fly plated San Hunter with the deciding run in the 12th to clinch the league title. Sean Shelly had two RBIs.

Austin Fine (7-2) pitched six shutout innings in the 13-1 romp. Cole Hales (Carson) had three hits and two RBIs to lead the offensive effort.

Catawba plays Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Newman Park in a game that won’t count in the conference standings but could affect regional seedings. Both teams are nationally ranked.

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