VIDEO: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (8-4) has spent the first month of the 2016 season playing either at home or at neutral sites. That changes for the Eagles the first weekend in March as C-N plays its first true road games of the season.
The Eagles tackle USC Aiken (13-5) at 1 p.m. Saturday before making the drive on I-20 to Atlanta to face Clark Atlanta (3-6) Sunday afternoon at 2.
"There's not really a challenge in our first road game in the sense of truly going on the road," head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "We've been prepared to go on the road two or three times, with rainouts, we just haven't been able to make them. We're looking forward to actually getting on the bus and making a road trip."
The Eagles have been led offensively by Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.), Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Talisa Fiame (Pacifica, Calif.).
Toppel is riding a career-best eight game hitting streak. She has four multi-hit games in that span.
Siebert is coming into the weekend fresh off the fourth, four-hit performance of her career. Her .500 batting average leads the SAC. Siebert, in spite of pounding out eight extra-base hits in February, has yet to homer after leading C-N with 14 dingers in her junior season.
Meanwhile, Fiame hit her first career home run against Bluefield State in 179 at bats while driving in a career high five runs.
Those three will try to lead a Carson-Newman offense against stingy USC Aiken pitching.
The Pacers rank 13th nationally in team ERA at 1.33. Meanwhile pitcher Taylor Morgan is 10th in the country with 77 strikeouts.
"Their pitching has been carrying them," Kazee-Hollifield said. "Pitching is certainly their strong suit. It would be no surprise to see them regionally ranked and in contention for postseason play again."
While defense and pitching has been sublime for the Pacers, the Aiken offense ranks second to last in the Peach Belt at 3.25 runs per game.
Carson-Newman is looking to snap a four-game losing streak to Peach Belt schools. The Eagles haven't won against the PBC since defeating Augusta 6-3 in last year's NCAA tournament.
The Eagles will then look to stay perfect against the SIAC in the last three seasons when C-N takes on Clark Atlanta Sunday.
"They are a much improved ball club," Kazee-Hollifield said. "They've played a strong schedule at this point. We have to make the routine plays defensively. We've got to practice clean to play clean and hopefully that will carry over to the field against both the Pacers and Panthers."
Big bats have been Clark Atlanta's hallmark. The Panthers have seven players who averaged .320 or better on the season. On the flip side, Clark Atlanta's pitching staff has a 6.06 team ERA. Ajada Coefield is the Panthers number one starter. She has a 4.67 ERA. Opponents are hitting .327 against her.
Live stats and video will be available for Saturday's contest online at pacersports.com. For updates on Sunday's game, follow @cnathletics on Twitter.
