JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After dropping two out of three games last weekend, the eighth-seeded Carson-Newman Eagles (24-20, 12-18 South Atlantic Conference) take on the fifth-seeded Wingate Bulldogs (26-20, 15-15 SAC) in the first round of the SAC Championships Thursday at 4 p.m. at McNair Stadium.
The bottom four teams in the league play a single elimination contest with the lowest seeded winner will take on No. 1 seed and fifth-ranked Catawba Friday at noon with the highest seed remaining taking on No. 2 seed Newberry Friday at 3:45 p.m. Once the top six teams remaining after decided, a double elimination tournament begins Friday.
Wingate proved that it was one of the most potent offensive teams in the country in last weekend's series clubbing nine home runs over the three-game series. The Bulldogs lead the nation with 70 home runs this season while ranking 8th in D2 with 386 runs scored (8.4 per game, 17th nationally) on the year. Four players rank inside the top-seven in the SAC in home runs lead by 13 from Thomas Spitz who is 20th nationally in the category and 13th in RBI with 58.
The Bulldogs are eighth in Division II in walks (199), eighth in hits (515), 14th in doubles (101) and 16th in slugging percentage (.520).
Wingate has scored 10 or more 18 times this year with a record of 17-1 in those games. Its lone loss came on March 14 at Anderson, a 13-12 decision as AU scored four in the 8th.
When opponents score five runs or fewer against the Bulldogs, Wingate is 16-2 compared to a 10-18 mark when scoring six or more.
"We take from that series that offensively they are a very dangerous group," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "You got to be a complete pitcher. You can't make mistakes. That's tough on a pitcher. The defense is going to get action. It's a good club. We have a game plan and we have to execute it better than them bottom line."
Wingate has four players that were named to All-SAC teams Wednesday afternoon including first team second basemen Shane Billings and outfielder Spitz. Billings ranks 17th in the nation while leading the SAC with 21 steals and is eighth in country with 76 hits.
"I think the key is the crooked numbers," Griffin said. "If you can avoid them getting the three, four runs in an inning, for any club, but they have the capabilities with their long ball prowess to put runs on the board just like that. If you can keep them to single digit numbers, then you've got a chance. It works in our favor because we aren't banging the ball off the wall like they are. We are going to have manufacture runs. It's going to come down to pitching and keeping those bats at bay."
Carson-Newman has won four SAC Championships (1992, 1993, 1997 and 2007) since the Tournament began in 1991. Catawba (6) and Wingate (5) are the only schools with more.
The Eagles and the Bulldogs have played eight times in SAC Championships with the Eagles holding a 5-3 lead. Carson-Newman won the first five meetings. The last meeting came in 2012 with Wingate eliminating the Eagles with 6-3 and 17-2 wins.
The Eagles last win over the Bulldogs in SAC Tournament play came on April 19, 2008 as Carson-Newman arned a 14-9 win as Nich Achberger and Tyler Wynn each had three hits.
Griffin is 14-13 in the SAC Tourney including a 2007 title while being 2-3 against Wingate heading into Thursday's contest.
"The mindset is, like for everyone right now, is it's a new season," Griffin said. "I think for every club that goes into a conference tournament looks at it like there's there parts to a season and this is the last part. It all starts really with a 0-0 record. Unfortunately, we have to go 1-0 to move on. Everyone feels like they have an opportunity to advance. You play well for five or six games and you are moving on."
Overall, Thursday's meetings marks the 77th meeting between the two programs in the all-time series history with Wingate holding 41-35 advantage including 12 wins in the last 13 games.
Fans can catch the game as the Eagle Sports Network will provide a complimentary audio stream at cneagles.com/live beginning 10 minutes prior to the first pitch from McNair Stadium with a pregame show leading into the first pitch from Forest City, N.C.
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