Carson-Newman Baseball Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Eagles (19-21) have not won more than two straight games since a five-game winning streak that extended through the second weekend of the season, but the demeanor of a team that started 7-1 is returning to this group.

The Eagles were 0-12 when scoring fewer than three runs this season until they sealed a pair of victories against Newberry plating just two runs in each win. Carson-Newman was also 0-5 in two-run games this year until it earned its first shutout win of the year Sunday afternoon.

It appears as though the Eagles have weathered the storm and have positioned themselves with a chance to control their own destiny in the South Atlantic.

"Now you hope that momentum carries you through practice and all that," head coach Tom Griffin said about how he hopes things continue to move forward. "As we told them, the key is now doing all of the right things on and off the field."

The stretch run begins Tuesday afternoon with a nonconference foe, the Trevecca Nazerene Trojans (27-8). First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. from the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. The Eagles began a rough month of March with a 3-1 loss in Nashville as the Eagles left ten men on base in the contest. Carson-Newman had a runner in scoring position in six of the nine innings including a man at third base on four occasions. Griffin's group was just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

That game is a thing of the past though. Despite a slow weekend offensively against Newberry, the Eagles came through with several timely hits and were a pitch away from sweeping the Wolves.

Last year, Carson-Newman was on the outside looking in most of the season, but finished one game shy of reaching the NCAA Tournament. The belief in the clubhouse is that this team can repeat last season's late surge.

Tuesday marks just the second all-time meeting with the Trojans. Trevecca Nazerene is riding a nine-game winning streak, but 29 of its 36 games have been played at home this season. On the road, they are just 4-2 this season.

On the year, the Trojans are hitting .330 as a club with Nick Howell (.417) and Tyler Tichenor (.408) leading the way for a team that has hit just ten home runs this year.

A 4.34 team earned run average is bolstered by a strong weekend group of starts, but potential starting pitcher versus the Eagles, Rob Rowland has a 7.31 ERA as opponents are hitting .348 against him this season.

Viewers can find out if the Eagles can make it three straight wins Tuesday at 3 p.m. by watching the game in high definition at cneagles.com/live. Pregame coverage begins ten minutes prior to the first pitch on the Eagle Sports Network.

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