Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Coker Preview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (19-5) cracks open conference play when Coker (11-8) comes to The Vick for a noon doubleheader Saturday.
The Eagles and Cobras have faced off 10 times since 1992. The series is tied 5-5, and, true to form, the teams split a doubleheader a year ago with Coker taking a 1-0 shutout in game one before the Eagles returned the favor with a 3-0 win in game two.
Shutouts have been bountiful in the series. All of the last five meetings have featured one of the teams being held to a goose egg for runs. All told, seven out of 10 games between the teams have featured shutouts.
The Eagles are producing 6.6 runs per game this season. Carson-Newman head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said the Eagles competition this year, i.e. a team like sixth-ranked Armstrong Atlantic, should have C-N ready for the SAC.
"We've had several good teams to go up against who we hope have prepared us for conference play," Kazee-Hollifield said. "We're hoping for a pretty day Saturday to get us rolling in conference play."
The Cobras are led by David Hanna, who has squared off against Kazee-Hollifield seven times in postseason play. The 22-year head coach ranks behind Kazee-Hollifield among active coaches for winning percentage. Kazee-Hollifield is fifth, Hanna is seventh. Both have won more than 72 percent of their games lifetime. Hanna has taken Coker to postseason play in all but one season in his tenure in Hartsville, S.C.
"They'll always come ready to play," Kazee-Hollifield said. "And David has built a great program over there through the years."
The Cobras are led by sophomore third baseman Ashley Gallman and junior second baseman Logan Cox. They are the only two Coker hitters batting better than .400 for the year. Ashley Ellen has produced the bulk of the runs for CC with 20 batted in to lead the team.
The Eagles have a hot bat of their own in Kelli Hensley (Knoxville, Tenn.) – the reigning South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week. Hensley is hitting .720 over the Eagles' last three series. She leads the nation with three triples.
"I always go back to pitch selection," Kazee-Hollifield said. "She's not willing to go after a bad pitch. If you don't give her something in the zone, she won't offer at it. Then she'll be standing on board first with a walk."
First pitch between the Eagles and Cobras is set for noon Saturday. A free HD stream of the game is available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.
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