"I think today is a little different than 20 or 30 years ago," head coach Tom Griffin said. "As much travel-ball there is, these guys are used to staying in hotels and playing in tournaments. I don't think it's a big deal nowadays. Our guys are fired up about getting into conference play again."

The first series of the season against Catawba was highlights by dominate pitching against one of the top scoring teams in the league a year ago. While confidence is high with the Eagle hurlers, the offense is looking for some consistency. 

Carson-Newman is hitting just .220 this season but through five games the Eagles have walked just 16 times as the offense ranks last in the SAC with a .315 on-base percentage. 

"I'd like to see us be a little more patient at the plate and draw some walks," Griffin said. "I think that's a key, our offense getting on a little bit of a roll to help us feel good more than anything else." 

Despite a low on-base percentage and underwhelming numbers on offense, the Eagles have come up with big pitches and big hits when the time calls for it. The mentality is something that Griffin is looking for from his squad heading into this weekend. 

"No matter where the game is, one pitch at a time, don't get caught up that you have a three-run lead or deficit," Griffin said. "I think that's helped us to realize that no matter where we are during the game it's all about this pitch." 

The Tornados enter the weekend on a two-game winning streak as well as being winners of six of their last seven outings. Brevard took two of three games against the Coker Cobras in the first weekend of SAC action.

"Coach McKay does a great job with his team getting them prepared mentally and physically," Griffin said. "He does a tremendous job with that group. They've got a couple new guys in that lineup that are swinging the bat extremely well." 

Five of the top 20 hitters in batting average reside in the Tornados lineup led by Hunter Donaldson's .483 clip this year with two doubles and seven RBI. Brevard is fourth in the league with a .312 team batting average having scored 54 runs, third in the SAC.

Brevard's pitching staff has been just as good ranking fourth in team earned run average with a 3.32 ERA, more than a full run behind Carson-Newman's league-leading 2.09 ERA.

The Eagles have won five straight games in the series as they hold a 20-2 advantage in the all-time series. In 2014, Carson-Newman scored a series sweep that included a walk-off, two-run home run by Joe Tipton (Dandridge, Tenn.) in game one and a walk-off RBI single in the eighth inning in the final game of the series.

Each game will be broadcast through an audio stream this weekend by visiting cneagles.com/live. Matthew Osborne has the call Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. while Eric Cain will broadcast the action Saturday beginning at noon.

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