VIDEO: Kristen Toppel Interview

A year ago, Carson-Newman was worrying about replacing a combined 600 career starts as Sara Kelley, Britney Hefner and Caitlyn Lance graduated from the program.  Only Jessica Morgan remained at second, but now her 197 career starts also exit the program for graduation. 

Yet, the Eagles aren't hurting in the infield.  C-N has starting experience returning at short, second and first, with plenty of promise at third. 

"Our infield should be solid this year," Toppel said. "We add a smooth glove at third in Shon, you've got me and Elayna up the middle and then Katie has really stepped up at first."

Toppel is fully healthy after going down with a knee injury against Catawba last year.  She'll be back at short where she started the first 26 games of the 2015 season.  Elayna Siebert will return to second after spending the latter half of 2015 at short in place of Toppel and the former half of the year playing first.  Second baseman and first team All-America utility player Elayna Siebert has 14 games of starting experience at her "new" position after splitting time with Morgan at that spot her freshman and sophomore seasons. 

Lindsay Dean (Coeburn, Va.) and Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) will each vie for time at first with Dean's pitching duties affecting who gets the nod at that spot from time to time. 

Offensively, Dean batted .205 with three round trippers and three doubles. She hit her home runs against Anderson (4/7), Newberry (4/11) and Tusculum (4/16). She drove in a career best four RBI against LMU (4/1).  She had six multi-hit days and five multi-RBI days. Dean was error free through 82 putouts at first last year across her 17 starts at first. 

Pritchett made nine starts at first and was also error free at the position.  She hit .216 while hitting two home runs, against Fort Valley State (2/16) and Queens (4/18).  She also set her career high for RBI with three batted in against the Royals.     

"We all know each other," Toppel said. "And what balls one of us is going to get.  We're all going to lay out for a hard hit ball and there won't be a ball hit in the infield that we won't give 100 percent effort for."

At third, the Eagles expect to turn to freshman Shon Jordan.  The 5-2 freshman from Hermitage, Tenn. had the most home runs in her district as a junior while batting .667 with 12 singles, five doubles and three home runs.  She sported a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.  She was her district's co-MVP and a member of the All-State second team.  During the 2014 season, she helped Martin Luther King Junior Health Magnet School to its first ever district championship.

"She has quick hands and great reaction," Toppel said. "That's what she has so we can definitely count on her to be a good third baseman for us."

The Eagles also expect contributions from newcomers Madison Floyd (Lake Park, Ga.), Erin Stanley (Coeburn, Va.), Peyton Bacon (Greeneville, Tenn.), Janelle Benzick (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Delaney Brown (Knoxville, Tenn.). 

The Eagles open their season Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m. at The Vick against Lees-McRae. Carson-Newman softball's position previews continue Tuesday with a glimpse of the outfield.