Carson-Newman Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – A two-out, three-run home run by junior shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.) on a 3-2 pitch ignited a dugout that had lost a pair of tight games in Hickory, N.C. The Carson-Newman Eagles (16-16) will look to keep the firing burning Wednesday afternoon at the King University Tornado (12-20-1) at the King Baseball Field for a 3 p.m. first pitch.

"It's all about a learning process no matter what age we are," head coach Tom Griffin said about his team's adjustments. "We have some sore guys that need to get healthy."

Carson-Newman was in danger of being swept in a South Atlantic Conference series for the first time this season until Everhart's home run, but the Eagles are looking to break out of a rut and start an extended winning streak. In March, the Eagles are 6-9 including a 2-5 mark away from the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.

Part of the issue has been the Eagles inability to piece together hits with runners on base as Carson-Newman has stranded over seven men on base per game in the month of March. Four times this month the Eagles have left ten or more men on base while compiling a 1-3 record in such games.

On Wednesday, Griffin's group will venture to Bristol, Tenn. for a nonconference game against a King team that has lost four of its last five games. In three of the four losses, the Tornado has allowed at least 12 runs. Opponents have racked up a .301 batting average against King hurlers that have tallied a 5.35 earned run average on the season.

While the pitching staff may not have solid numbers, the King offense has a team .309 batting average led by a .400 clip from Cody Rogers. Garrett Cook leads the team in home runs with seven and RBI with 26 to go along with a .314 average.

The Tornado is averaging 6.4 runs per game this season as seven different players have at least 13 RBI this season. Despite the gaudy numbers, King has had tendency to strike out having gone down on strikes 222 times this season.

Wednesday marks the 19th all-time meeting between the two programs with the Eagles holding a 12-6 advantage. In 2013, the two sides split a two-game series with each club winning on the road. In a 13-8 win on April 15, C-N pounded out 18 hits led by three hits each from sophomore Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) and sophomore Gooch Greer (Dickson, Tenn.).

Wednesday's game is available through an audio stream by going to cneagles.com/live as pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 2:50 p.m.

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