ROCK HILL, S.C. – After winning 15 league games and finishing fourth in the South Atlantic Conference in 2023, Carson-Newman was selected to finish sixth in the 2024 South Atlantic Conference preseason baseball poll released by the league office on Tuesday.
"For us right now its just about taking care of business," Carson-Newman head baseball coach Tom Griffin said. "It's making sure we are getting our guys healthy and in shape to handle the games. We still have a couple more weeks to work on things and make sure that we are up to that game speed. The main thing we also need to make sure is the chemistry and I think our upperclassmen have done a good job of making sure our expectations and standards are happening on and off the field.
The Eagles are coming off a ninth straight winning season, tying their longest such streak since registering nine straight from the 2002-10 seasons. Carson-Newman recorded at least 25 wins for the seventh time in that window as well.
The 15-9 conference record last season helped C-N finish in fourth place, its best finish in the league standings since the shortened 2020 season. In a season where coach Griffin won his 500th game at Carson-Newman, the Orange and Blue won 65 percent of its league games, the best winning percentage for the club since 2008 while losing single-digit conference contests for the first time in 11 years. Among three victories over top 10 teams, C-N finished the home slate by winning a series over 10th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne, its first series win over ranked team in five years.
Winning a pair of one-run games, Carson-Newman sealed a series win over No. 15/10 Lenoir-Rhyne winning game one 9-8 before walking it off in game two to pull out a 4-3 triumph in the final home South Atlantic Conference series of the year. The Eagles earned their first series win over a top 25 team since the 2018 campaign beating 14th-ranked Northwood on Feb. 18-19. It was the first time the club won a three-game set over a ranked SAC foe since sweeping No. 19 Tusculum on Feb. 15, 2013. C-N now has 47 wins over ranked teams in its Division II history including 34 under Griffin.
C-N was 9-4 in one-run games and was an impressive 16-2 when having the lead after six innings.
Carson-Newman placed Jake Wright (Ringgold, Tenn.) on the All-SAC Third Team in 2023. The right-hander became the 30th pitcher to be named all-league and the first reliver to win conference honors since Will Gardner in 2018. Wright was lights out, finishing the season with a 2.10 earned run average over 25 2/3 innings pitched. In 13 appearances, the righty struck out 33 batters and finished the year with a 4-1 record.
Despite losing two of their top three pitchers based on innings pitched last season, Griffin's staff returns many other important hurlers along with Wright. Grif Hughes (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished with a 5-2 record and recorded a team-high 24 appearances. Hunter Harritan (Huntersville, N.C.) threw 34 innings and recorded a 4.24 ERA and finished with five victories. The team's top starter, Noah Pridmore (Ooltewah, Tenn.) returns after finishing 2023 with a team-high 69 2/3 innings pitched over 13 starts. He went 4-2 on the season and recorded 47 strikeouts. Between these four pitchers, they finished the 2023 season with an 18-6 combined record.
Three guys that hit .290 or better last season return in James Denten (Mt. Prospect, Ill.), Trey Miller (Rocky Point, N.Y.) and Dalton McLain (Greeneville, Tenn.). Denten was second in hits (52), doubles (10), home runs (5) and runs batted in (31). Miller was unable to finish the season because of a wrist injury, but still managed to hit .300 and drive in 19 runs. McClain recorded the third most hits (48) and led the team with 12 stolen bases. Among the hitters returning, Carson-Newman brings back 60% of its runs produced from last year.
Newberry is the top pick in the preseason poll after winning the regular season and conference title. Wingate edged Lenoir-Rhyne by a point for second place, despite the Bears receiving the second-most first place votes with three. Catawba and Lincoln Memorial rounded out the top five.
Anderson is after C-N and received one first-place vote. Tusculum, Coker and Limestone round out the top ten. Mars Hill is 11th and Emory & Henry and UVA Wise tied for last.
The 2024 slate begins on Feb. 3 with Carson-Newman opening the doors to the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex, starting a three-game series with King. Every home game can be heard on cneagles.com/live with live video available on the Eagle Sports Network. Select road games will be available with an audio stream.
