JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (2-0) takes aim at a fifth consecutive 4-0 start to a season when it welcomes Concord and its potent offense to the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex for a Saturday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
The Mountain Lions have put together three consecutive 30-win seasons and open their 2017 season at Mossy Creek following a 31-23 year in 2016.
Carson-Newman pulled out a doubleheader sweep of Lees-McRae to start its 2017. The Eagles pounded the Bobcats 10-0 and 9-0 in a pair of run-rule wins.
"We split at their place last year," head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "That's something that we've tried to focus on, not taking trips to Splitsville. We have to be ready for them. The road only gets tougher from here on out."
Carson-Newman and Concord have split their last two doubleheaders after the Eagles took the first four in the series. The Mountain Lions have exploded offensively on the Eagles, scoring at least five runs in five straight contests. The Eagles won game one last year 8-6 after rallying from a four-run deficit. Concord turned the tables in game two for a 10-6 win, also rallying from a four-run deficit.
Concord's 15 hits in game two last season were the most hits given up by the Eagles all of last season, and the 21 combined hits for the Mountain Lions in the two games last season was the most hits over a two-game series that C-N surrendered in 2016.
"They are always solid and don't do anything to hurt themselves," Kazee-Hollifield said. "We'll have to put runs on the board because you know they'll score. It has to start with defense with us too, we have to be exceptionally good on defense, and I hope we continue to grow up quickly."
The Mountain Lions return plenty of talent from last year's team. Returning for the Mountain Lions as seniors are Alaina Furr, outfielder Lauren Lewis, pitcher Allie Reid, third baseman Courtney Purtell, and pitcher/outfielder Sarah Herndon.
Furr batted .398 last season to lead the Mountain Lions in average while accumulating 74 hits and scoring 50 runs. The Lovettsville, Virginia native was named a first team All-Mountain East Conference performer while also providing excellent defense at shortstop with a fielding percentage of .942. The .398 average for Furr was the highest by a Concord player since 2011 and was third in the MEC last season.
Lewis was an All-MEC Second Team selection last season, hitting .356 while starting all 53 games for CU in 2016. The Kearneysville, West Virginia native led the Mountain Lions in batting average in 2014. Lewis's 179 career hits put her in fourth place all-time in Concord history entering her final season. Lewis is also fourth all-time in career RBI.
Reid returns for her final season as a Mountain Lion after missing the majority of the 2016 season due to injury. Reid posted a 1.58 ERA in 2015 en route to being named a second-team All-Mountain East Conference performer. Reid posted 65 strikeouts while garnering an 11-5 record in the circle.
Herndon started 29 games combined in the circle and in the field for Concord last season before having her season cut short to injury. The Berryville, Virginia native batted .330 on the year while also going 12-12 in the circle for Concord. Herndon led the Mountain Lions in strikeouts, opponent batting average, and innings played. Herndon also recorded five shutouts for CU last season.
Meanwhile, Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) went 6-for-7 at the plate last year with six runs batted in, a double and a home run against Concord.
Carson-Newman started out the 2017 with a bunch of freshmen contributing offensively. First-year players drove in 13 of the 19 runs scored between the two games of the doubleheader.
Freshmen Taylor Scott (Huntington, W.Va.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) became the second and third fastest players to hit home runs for their Carson-Newman careers. Scott waited until her fourth career at bat to send a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left for a solo shot. It took Fiessinger five at bats before she cleared the centerfield fence with a grand slam. Only Bethany Davis homered faster than those two. She drilled a two-run shot in her third career at bat against St. Andrews in 2011.
Starting pitcher Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) also provided some instant offense for the Eagles. The senior had but one multi-hit performance last season for C-N. She had two on Feb. 2 against Lees-McRae.
Starting shortstop Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) is riding a six-game hitting streak, the longest on the team, dating back to her sophomore season. She's the only player on the roster with a career hit streak longer than 10 games. She has the fourth longest in C-N history, a 16-game streak that spanned her freshman and sophomore years.
First pitch between the Eagles and Mountain Lions is slated for 1 p.m. Coverage will be available with Billy Myer on the mic on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.
