C-N welcomes Pacers to the Creek for Monday double dip

C-N Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (14-6) will look to capitalize on a crucial in-region sweep of Limestone Saturday with another big in-region twinbill against USC Aiken (6-10) Monday at 1 p.m. at The Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex. 

Carson-Newman began to correct some major problems that had hampered them early in the year against Limestone.  Carson-Newman had been batting .215 coming into that doubleheader with runners in scoring position. 

In the twinbill against the Saints, the Eagles went 7-for-21 at the plate with runners in scoring position.  Included in that were an eighth-inning squeeze play from  Leah Sohm to win the game and a sixth-inning home run in the nightcap from Haley Caldwell to seal a game two victory. 

The Eagles and Pacers will be battling for the first time since the 2016 season.  The Eagles and Pacers were scheduled to play last year, but mother nature claimed the game instead.

Carson-Newnan leads  the all-time series 9-4 heading into the 14th meeting between the two teams. 

The teams have split the last two doubleheaders they've played.  The Pacers took game one in a matchup in South Carolina two years ago 4-0 before the Eagles swapped a shutout with them 7-0 in the nightcap. 

The last time the teams squared off in Jefferson City, Carson-Newman fell in game one 4-2 before pounding out a 10-4 win in the nightcap. 

The Pacers have struggled away from home this season.  USC Aiken has a 1-5 record outside their home grounds.  The lone win came at Erskine in a 4-3 decision in game two of that series.

Aiken has lost three out of their last four.  They were swept on Feb. 24 at Catawba 6-2 and 5-4 and split at Erskine on Feb. 20. 

The Pacers have two big-time bats in their order in Hannah Price and Courtney Strauss.  Price is hitting a meaty .469 with 23 knocks in 49 at bats.  She's collected three doubles and a dinger, driving in a team-best 13 runs. 

Meanwhile, Strauss is hitting .412 and leads the Pacers in extra-base hits with five doubles, a triple and a bomb.  She has 10 runs batted in and is slugging .608, the top mark on the team. 

Collectively, Aiken is hitting .285 as a team.  Price and Strauss are the only two players hitting north  of .260 for Aiken.

The Pacers pitching staff is helmed by Caroline Cockrell and Lyndie Dorgan.  Cockrell and Dorgan are both 2-4.  Cockrell has the better ERA of the duo with a 2.57 tally.  She has 30.0 innings pitched and 28 hits allowed.  Opponents are hitting .243 off Cockrell. She has struck out 24 and issued 10 free passes. 

Dorgan has a 3.30 ERA.  She has the most strikeouts on the staff with 32.  However, opponents are hitting .297 off her. 

First pitch between  C-N and Aiken is set for 1 p.m. Monday. Coverage will be available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.