JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (23-15, 11-5 South Atlantic Conference) makes the short jaunt along 11-E to tangle with rival Tusculum (22-17, 12-6 SAC) Wednesday afternoon at 1 from Red Edmunds Field.
Sweeps have been tough for Carson-Newman to come by at Red Edmunds Field. The Eagles and Pioneers have split five of the last seven doubleheaders in Greeneville over the last 14 years. C-N has only swept Tusculum twice at Tusculum in that span, 9-0 and 6-0 victories in 2012; and 11-7 and 7-2 wins in 2020 before the pandemic shutdown the rest of the season.
Carson-Newman leads the all-time series with the Pioneers heading into the 69th meeting between the clubs 49-17.
Macey Hughes and Macauley Bailey both sit in sixth place in Carson-Newman history for career home runs with 27. They are also tied with Hall of Famer Whitney Hickam, while All-American Brittany Hefner is in fifth with 28. All-American Abby Fiessinger is two bombs away in fourth with 29. Sara Kelley (2010-14) holds the program's all-time record with 35.
Hughes is also top five all-time in RBI with 160. She is one away from All-American catcher Bri Shoemake and fourth place with 161.
Carson-Newman has been jacking home runs left and right. With 12 home runs this season, Brooke Matyasovsky, Macauley Bailey and Hayden Dye are all in a three-way tie for the second most in the SAC this season. The trio is also tied for the 22nd most in the country. Prior to this season, there had been 11, 12-homer campaigns in Carson-Newman softball's 39-year history. Those previous 11, 12-homer years all occurred in different seasons. Whoever clobbers home run 13 will tie Lindsay Dean (2016) for the sixth most in a year in program history.
Matyasovsky has 22 career home runs for the Orange and Blue, while Dye has 21. They are the 14th and 15th players in program history to hit more than 20 career bombs. Matyasovsky has hit 63 home runs in her collegiate career - the seventh most among active players in all divisions and the most of any player actively playing in NCAA Division II. Mandy Stevens sits in 10th in school history with 24 career blasts.
Bailey and Brittany Hefner are the only players in school history with more than 25 home runs in two years. This marks the first time in program history Carson-Newman has three, let alone four active players with 20 career home runs (Hughes, Bailey, Dye and Matyasovsky).
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