VIDEO: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Interview
The Eagles hold a two-game lead three teams tied for second place - Saturday's opponent Newberry, Catawba (whom C-N swept) and Anderson (whom C-N swept).
"You never feel comfortable no matter what kind of a lead you have because our conference is so competitive and tough," head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "We will treat this just like we have every ball game. I'm so proud of the way this team has handled everything so far."
The bizarre thing though, with three series left, the Eagles have yet to clinch a SAC tournament berth, but then again neither has anyone else. No team in the league has been eliminated from the conference's postseason tournament, nor has any team clinched a spot in the tourney.
C-N hasn't won a regular season title since 2008 and hasn't won one outright since 2005.
Newberry was picked last in the SAC's preseason poll, but has made hay this season with a scrappy style of play. Newberry is quite adept on the base paths. The Wolves lead the league in steals with 45 on the season. Ashlen Ayers is the individual league leader for the category with 18. The Wolves swiped eight bases along in a doubleheader with LMU.
Gabby Bedard has the best bat in the order for Newberry. She hits .409, one of six players in the league hitting on the plus side of .400 (Carson-Newman has two of those in Elayna Siebert and Bre Lockett).
Carson-Newman will honor seniors Cassie Lyons (Knoxville, Tenn.), Jessica Morgan (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and Haley Taylor (Strawberry Plains, Tenn.) between games.
Lyons is a three-year player for the Eagles from Knoxville, Tenn. She has a career 23-15 record in the circle with a lifetime 2.99 ERA. Lyons has been able to make work at the plate when called upon. She crushed a home run at Pfeiffer in her junior year and went yard against Lees-McRae earlier this season. Carson-Newman is 5-0 all-time when she has a multi-hit day.
"I use the phrase of being a bulldog," Kazee-Hollifield said. "She's going to give you everything she's got. She's resilient and will frequently be the heartbeat of our team."
Morgan has started 185 out of 188 games in which she's appeared at second base for Carson-Newman. She has progressively become more adept as a defender, making only two errors in her senior season. A lifetime .277 batter, Morgan hit her first career home run earlier this season with an inside-the-parker against Indiana Wesleyan.
"She's one of the best defensive second basemen we've had," Kazee-Hollifield said. "She plays hard 24-7. That's one of my favorite things to coach."
Taylor is a two-year player for Carson-Newman after transferring to Mossy Creek from Walters State. She is a lifetime .367 hitter and ranks first in the SAC and fifth in the nation this season with six triples. She has produced eight career three-hit games and Carson-Newman is a perfect 14-0 all-time when she drives in multiple runs.
"She's such a sweet individual to see every day," Kazee-Hollifield said. "Her attitude has always been so great. You can put her wherever in the lineup and she's going to come through."
First pitch from the Vick is set for 1 p.m. Saturday. Coverage will be available on the Eagle Sports Network with a free high definition stream at cneagles.com/live.
