Griffin’s group angles to rebound at West Alabama
LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Coming off of its first loss of the season, Carson-Newman makes the long journey for three games, two against West Alabama and one versus Emmanuel, this weekend starting on Friday at 3 p.m. against the Tigers from Tartt Field before a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon against Emmanuel.
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LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Coming off of its first loss of the season, Carson-Newman makes the long journey for three games, two against West Alabama and one versus Emmanuel, this weekend starting on Friday at 3 p.m. against the Tigers from Tartt Field before a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon against Emmanuel.
The Eagles have won four straight road games and seven of their last nine overall dating back to the start of March 2021. The Orange and Blue have won its last two road series and have not dropped a set on the road since March 26-27 at Wingate.
West Alabama (0-5) is coached by former Carson-Newman (4-1) head coach Gary Rundles who spent 11 years at Mossy Creek tallying a record of 310-227-5. The three-time South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year won five conference titles and finished runner-up on four occasions highlighted by the program's lone trip to the NCAA Division II World Series in 1999 and a trip to the 1993 NAIA World Series. Current Carson-Newman coach Tom Griffin spent three years as an assistant for Rundles from 1998-2001.
"It is going to be great to see coach Rundles," Griffin said. "My life changed drastically not only as a person but as a coach when I came here to work for him as an assistant. I learned so much about the balance of faith and coaching through Gary Rundles. He did a lot for me. They're very good and they are going to compete.
"We will go over some things and keep getting better. It's a process and we are going to keep getting better not just in February but in March and in April. We are going to be constant learners. We are going to learn how to be the best version of ourselves, do what's right and treat others the way we want to be treated. That's the standard that we will have each and every day that we will hold here."
Carson-Newman faces off against West Alabama for the fifth time with all four of the prior meetings coming in 1997 as the Eagles dropped three of the four affairs. The lone win came on Feb. 15, 1997 coming out ahead 10-7 in Livingston.
With a condensed schedule last year, the Tigers went 13-21 overall but won their final series of the year taking two of three against Auburn Montgomery. In a hotly contested Gulf South Conference, the unit was predicted to finish 11th in the preseason poll.
Third baseman Jake Nemith and outfielder Brayden Lyman were named to the Preseason All-Gulf South Conference team. Nemith, a preseason all-region pick, tallied a .367 batting average with six homers and 15 RBIs last season. Lyman led the roster in hitting with a .369 hitting clip stealing six bases and knocking in 16 despite missing eight games.
To start this season, West Alabama has dropped all five of its game as the team's pitching staff has given up 10 home runs this year and an average of 13 runs per game. After falling 5-1 to Arkansas Monticello, opponents have scored double digits in four straight games with 23 of the 54 overall hits allowed on the year going for extra bases.
Nemith leads the lineup with a home run and six RBIs having hit safely in all five contests to open the year. The hitters have drawn a total of 12 walks on the year being limited to two or fewer in four of the five but the club has been plunked 11 times.
The Eagles have never played against Emmanuel on the baseball diamond. The Lions went 17-24 a year ago and lost to seventh-seeded King in the opening round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament. In this year's preseason poll, the unit was picked ninth ahead of Southern Wesleyan and Chowan.
To open this season, the Lions have beaten Shoter, a 2021 regional qualifier, and fellow SAC team Lenoir-Rhyne. The team's pitching staff has been stingy giving up five runs or fewer in all but one game, an 11-1 loss to West Georgia on Tuesday. However four of the six foes this year have tallied double-digit hits.
At the plate, Emmanuel has yet to record double-digit hits in a game and has not launched a home run but it does have 10 stolen bases. The team has been limited to five runs or fewer in each game with three outings of two runs or fewer.
Cody Minnis is the lone regular hitting above .300 this year with six hits in 18 at-bats while swiping five bases in five tries. Judd Roberts leads the team with three RBIs as the team's batting average to date sits at .218.
Fans can follow along to the action on YouTube and with stats at cneagles.com/livestats while updates will be available by following @CN_Eagles on Twitter and Instagram.
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