JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman (27-17) steps outside of South Atlantic Conference play for a rare mid-April doubleheader against non-conference foe Young Harris (29-14) Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Mountain Lions E.D. Rivers Field.
This marks the first time that Carson-Newman has played a foe from outside the South Atlantic Conference past April 10 since 2013 when the Eagles played at Coker, then in its last year of affiliation with Conference Carolinas, in a tune-up for the SAC tournament on April 14.
This will be the first meeting between Carson-Newman and Young Harris with the Eagles as the visitors.
Carson-Newman swept the Mountain Lions last year as both teams made a run to the Southeast Regional Tournament. It was a slew of late clutch hits for the Ealges that got the job done last year.
Cheyenne Boles (Knoxville, Tenn.) belted a two-run bomb in the sixth inning of game one to put the Eagles on the front foot for a 4-3 win. Ashlyn Cooper (Friendsville, Tenn.) came through in the clutch in the night cap with a solo shot to right center to help hand the Eagles the sweep with a 3-2 win.
Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) and Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) combined to strike out 15 on the day. Together, they only allowed one earned run.
Carson-Newman enters the doubleheader on a three-game losing streak. In the program's 33-year history, the program has just the five, four-game losing streaks. Carson-Newman is trying to avoid matching the school record for consecutive losses - a five game streak in 2012 with losses to Wingate, Augusta (twice) and Lenoir-Rhyne (twice).
Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) needs two more doubles to tie Whitney Hickam and Mandy Stevens for the most doubles in a single season in Carson-Newman history. Hickam and Stevens each hit 20 in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
Rinus is second in the country with 18 two-baggers. Three more and she'll be in the top seven in SAC history for doubles in a single season.
KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) has been hit by a pitch 35 times in her career, two more and she'll be in the top 25 in NCAA history for the most times plunked in a career.
This is Carson-Newman's first game in the state of Georgia this season. The Eagles head back to the state that was the site of their last regional appearance (2017).
Coverage of the game will be available with a vide stream on Young Harris' YouTube channel. Follow @cnathletics on Twitter for live updates of the doubleheader.