JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Coming off of a second-place finish in the league in 2016, Carson-Newman gears up for a three-game series in Dahlonega, Ga. against 27th-ranked North Georgia beginning Friday at 3 p.m. The Eagles play Saturday at 2 p.m. and conclude the series on Sunday at 1.
"They are a very talented group returning a lot of people as well," Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin said. "Pitching and some of their top hitters are back so it's a very good club. If you are picked in the top half of that Peach Belt Conference you are very good because that's a very good conference."
This weekend marks the first time that the Eagles open a year with the Nighthawks. Since 2010, C-N has just one win in a season opener as they won the 2014 lid-lifter at Augusta on Feb. 1, 6-1, and are just 3-8 under coach Tom Griffin. Dating back to 1990, the Eagles hold an 11-16 overall record in season openers.
Carson-Newman and North Georgia have played 16 times prior to this weekend's series as the Nighthawks hold an 11-5 overall advantage with wins in each of the last five affairs.
The last win for the Eagles over the Nighthawks came in 2012 as C-N won 7-6 on March 14, one day after toppling UNG 8-2 at Bob Stein Stadium.
North Georgia swept C-N from Feb. 5-7, 2016 marking the first time that a non-conference team swept C-N in a three-game series since second-ranked Florida Southern took home a sweep from Feb. 11-13, 2005 in Lakeland, Fla.
"Last year we got outplayed in every aspect," Griffin said. "We expect to compete better and be involved in each pitch. It's a great test and we are really looking forward to it. I think it was nice that we were able to play someone earlier, that scrimmage. I think that helps to let everyone know where we are at before we go into the real thing."
The Eagles started the 2016 season 0-2 for the fifth time since joining the Division II ranks (1995, 1996, 2001, 2013 and 2016) with a 1-6 start during the 2001 campaign while beginning the year 0-4 overall.
In 2016, North Georgia went 32-20 overall and 14-16 in the Peach Belt Conference to finish eighth out of 13 clubs while winning two games in the PBC Tournament. The Nighthawks were picked to finish third by the conference's coaches earning one first-place vote.
Last season, UNG led the country in fielding percentage tallying a .979 clip as a group. The defense allowed the pitching staff to rank just nine hits per game, the 39th-fewest in the nation and best in the league.
At the plate the Nighthawks were one of the most patient units in the country ranking third in the nation with 269 walks. The team was ninth in the league but 60th in the country by posting seven runs per night.
Two big pieces from last year's group have graduated in first-team starting pitcher Brandon Agar and second-team catcher Sam Tidaback. Agar went 7-4 with a 3.64 earned run average striking out 90 batters in 87 innings. Tidaback was selected in 21st round of the Major League Baseball draft reaching the Midwest League playing for South Bend. He hit 11 home runs and drove in 53 runs while hitting .341 for UNG a season ago.
The Nighthawks boast a pair of preseason all-conference picks in first baseman Trevor Sams and third baseman Devin Gearhart. Sams was an academic all-conference pick and hit .354 with 13 home runs and 65 RBIs and ranked in the PBC top 10 in doubles, home runs, RBI, sac flies and slugging percentage in 2016. Gearhart won a gold glove a season ago committing just three errors and hitting .309 with 14 doubles, two home runs and 30 RBIs in 2016.
Fans can enjoy the broadcast tandem of Eric Cain and Mark Inserra for each game during the weekend on cneagles.com/live starting with "The Appalachian Electric Cooperative Countdown to First Pitch" 10 minutes prior to first pitch on the Eagle Sports Network.
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