JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (8-2) has cleared four inches of snow off the playing surface at the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex in order to get ready to welcome Lees-McRae (1-7) to Mossy Creek for a 1 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday.
"You've heard of March Madness, well this is what I call February's Folly," Carson-Newman head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said as she menacingly brandished a rake, letting the snow that had accumulated on her field know who was boss. "We haven't been on a field in nearly a week. We're going to a huge tournament this weekend, so any way we can play Lees-McRae Wednesday without getting anybody hurt, were going to do it. Some of our football players have been out here with our girls trying to get this field into playing shape. This is a memory they'll have for the rest of their lives."
Of the 33 previous meetings with Lees-McRae, Carson-Newman has won 18 via a shutout win. The Eagles own a 30-2 lead in the series and have won six consecutive dating back to 2011.
Because of a boatload of snow that blanked the region over the last week, Lees-McRae hasn't seen the field in 11 days, since losing both games of a doubleheader to Brevard on Valentine's Day. The Eagles were able to sneak in two games on Feb. 19 against Fort Valley State.
The Bobcats are 0-6 against South Atlantic Conference competition this season, L-R, Anderson and Brevard all swept doubleheaders from the Bobcats.
LMC has struggled to hit the ball this season, as a team it hits .161 with just seven extra base hits. The Bobcats haven't hit a home run this season.
Carson-Newman continues through its own defensive struggles. The Eagles are last in the league with a .941 fielding percentage.
"Our message of defense is not going to change," Kazee-Hollifield said. "We're about that first before we worry about anything else. That'll will be our focus, this game and the one's after it until we get it corrected."
First pitch between the Eagles and Bobcats is slated for 1 p.m. Wednesday. Coverage of the game will be available on the Eagle Sports Network online with a free high definition stream at cneagles.com/live.
