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Friday, November 21, 2008
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Thunder rises back above .500 after losing four straight games
(Published July 02, 2008)
Carolina Thunder pitcher Ken Graveline throws home during the first game of a doubleheader against Morganton Aggies.

A recent run of bad luck ended for the Carolina Thunder as they got back above .500 after sweeping the Morganton Aggies.

The team had dropped four straight games, including both ends of a double header to the Tennessee Tornados last week, before going two games above .500 and improving to 12-10 on the year.

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Last Friday, the team beat Morganton 8-7 and 5-2 in a rain-shortened second game. Led by Buffalo native Jonathan Dziomba, a junior from Gannon College who went 3-4 with three RBI, including a two-run home run, the Thunder matched Morganton run for run during the early innings.

Morganton jumped out to 2-0 lead after the top of the first as they got to University of Rhode Island pitcher Ken Graveline. Graveline went four innings and gave up six runs on six hits.

Dziomba tied the game in the bottom of the first with the home run and Carolina added four more runs on five hits in the bottom of the third.

Third baseman Dan Novak started the inning off with a single and was driving in by a sacrifice bunt by Dziomba. Middle Tennessee State junior Ben Darlington singled to score former Northwestern player Jamie Holler. Temple University's Byron McKoy singled and then scored after outfielder Chad Coley doubled and York native Tyler Lehman singled.

The Thunder would add another run in the bottom of the fourth on a double by Novak, scoring Clover native Hank Wofford, but things got rocky in the fifth as Morganton pulled within one at 7-6.

Holler replaced Graveline on the mound and went two innings allowing a run on one hit, while striking out two.

In game two, the Thunder scored two in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Darlington had an RBI single to start the scoring during in Appalachian State's Keith Mauney.

Carolina went up 3-0 after two innings, but Morganton would score its only two runs of the second game in the third inning.

But the Thunder kept a safe distance adding another run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by McKoy as the skies went dark and the rains came forcing the game to be called.

Upcoming games

• July 2 at Lake Norman,

7 p.m.

• July 4 at Spartanburg,

5 p.m. (DH)

• July 5 at Carolina Chaos,

5 p.m. (DH)