VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the first time in four years, Carson-Newman (9-3) will start out South Atlantic Conference play within the friendly confines of the Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex.
Mars Hill (2-6) arrives at Mossy Creek for an early March show down at noon Sunday.
"We've had a ton of games cancelled due to rain and snow, but starting SAC play now is what it is, we'll have to play well for it," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "They have been a good hitting team for the last few years. They lost a good bit, but Christine has them trending in the right direction. We'll have to use our three pitchers to keep them off balance."
The Eagles will be looking to restart a winning streak for SAC openers.
Queens snapped a 13-game winning streak to start last season in the league opener. It also snapped a three-year streak for the Eagles of winning their first SAC game. Carson-Newman has split their last two league-opening double-dips (Queens and Newberry), but had tallied sweeps the two years previous to that (Queens and Catawba). This will be the first time Carson-Newman opens SAC play at home since 2017. The Eagles powered their way to a run-rule sweep of Queens that day, prevailing 8-0 and 9-0 in five innings.
The Eagles won the first 44 games in the series' history before Mars Hill broke through with a doubleheader sweep at Ponder Field in 2009. Mars Hill has taken two of the last three from Carson-Newman. The Lions won their first ever game in Jefferson City with a 10-9 comeback win over the Eagles in 2018.
Carson-Newman's offense has clicked early, especially with four players. Leah Sohm (Knoxville, Tenn.), KaraLynne Levi (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), Shannon Smith (Channahon, Ill.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) are all hitting north of .400 for the Eagles.
"It's rained, so all we've been doing is staying in the cages and hit," Graves said. "We should be terrible on defense because it's been so difficult to get on the actual dirt and practice due to weather. But they are just good. Leah is the best shortstop in the country. Shannon has been phenomenal at third. Our outfield catches what they can get to."
Abby Fiessinger's next home run will be the 30th of her career. She will become the fourth player in program history with 30 career bombs. Two more dingers and she'll match Mary Shealy for third on the all-time list. Fiessinger is 18th among all active players in Division II for career home runs.
Fiessinger can also realistically move into second on the school's leaderboard for total bases. She has 166 for her career. Her next single will move her into sole possession of third, breaking a tie with Mandy Stevens. While a double would put her on level footing with Bri Shoemake. Fiessinger ranks sixth among active players in Division II for total bases.
KaraLynne Levi has joined the 52 HBP club. She is second among all active players in times plunked and among the top 20 most hit players in NCAA history.
The contests get underway at noon on Sunday. Coverage of the twinbill will be available on the Eagle Sports online at cneagles.com/live.
