VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Fifth-seeded Carson-Newman (21-11) will look to get rolling in South Atlantic Conference tournament play when it challenges fourth-seeded Wingate (21-17) in the quarterfinals of the SAC tournament Friday at 11 a.m. from Tusculum's Red Edmonds Field in Greeneville, Tenn.
"It's survive and advance," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "It's a testament to the strength of our conference that you had so many teams that are close together beating up on one another. I really think it'll be a competitive tournament where we peak at the right time."
Carson-Newman, which has a league best 11 SAC tournament titles, has won tournament titles in two of the last three years and played for a tournament title in three straight seasons.
Carson-Newman and Wingate meet in the SAC tournament for the 20th time all-time. Nearly a quarter of the Eagles and Bulldogs all-time meetings have come in SAC tournament play.
The Eagles lead the all-time tournament ledger 10-9. The Bulldogs have taken the last three tournament outings with a 5-1 win in 2016, a 4-1 triumph in 2014 and a 3-2 decision in 2012.
Carson-Newman hasn't beaten Wingate in the SAC tournament since a 2-0 win over the Bulldogs in 2009.
Unsurprisingly given the log jam that was the SAC standings in 2021, the Eagles and Bulldogs split their regular season meetings at the Wingate Softball Complex on March 27.
The Bulldogs won game one 4-1 before C-N rallied with an 8-7 decision in the nightcap bolstered by a seventh-inning go-ahead home run from Macey Hughes.
"We made some mistakes early in game one that put us in a bind," Graves said. "Even with that, we were able to get the tying run at the plate. We came back in game two and fell behind, but were able to get the bats going to come back. They're competitive. We're competitive and I have no doubt that competitiveness will be on display Friday."
Aubrey Reep kept Carson-Newman off balance in game one. Reep fired the first six innings, allowing three hits and a run with four walks and seven Ks.
"She kept us off balance when we played them last time," Graves said. "We did start to hit her a little bit more toward the end of the game. I know in the past she's gotten us one game, and then we get her another game. There's no question she got us last time."
Lacie Rinus became Carson-Newman's fourth member of the 600 K club in C-N's game one win over Limestone on March 10. Rinus is fourth all-time in Ks at Carson-Newman with 642. She needs 20 more to catch Carson-Newman Hall of Famer Heather Randolph (662) for third all-time.
Shannon Smith's next home run would give her double-digit dingers for the season making her the 17th player in school history with 10 or more bombs in a single year.
KaraLynne Levi's next jack will put her into the 20-home run club for a career at Carson-Newman. She looks to be the 12th member of that grouping. Two home runs will tie her with Katie Pritchett and Staci Fish for the 10th most all-time (21).
Levi needs one more RBI to catch Lisa Rogers for the sixth most all-time in C-N history with 143. Levi enters these tournament games with 142 driven in all-time.
Carson-Newman brings the top offense in the league to the tournament. The Eagles lead the batting average (.330) and runs per game (7.1). Carson-Newman ranks 28th and 14th nationally in the two stats.
Wingate is the league's most fleet of foot team. The Bulldogs 71 stolen bases are 10th in the country. The Bulldogs stole four bases, including three by Haley Cashwell, when the teams split a doubleheader back on March 27.
Follow @CNathletics on Twitter for live coverage of the contest.
