JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman begins the 2024 season this weekend, as it starts a three-game series with the King Tornado on Saturday afternoon.
The three-game series on opening weekend starts with a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 and 3 p.m. and will wrap up on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Carson-Newman begins a seven-game homestand to kick start the season. Griffin's group will play 17 of their first 19 games at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
"You have to win more games at home than you do on the road," Carson-Newman head baseball coach Tom Griffin said. "To have that many home games to start the year, at a place we are comfortable with is a huge advantage. King, who we play almost every year, always has a great group. It will be a good way to start the season."
Since Carson-Newman joined Division II in 1994, the Eagles are 26-4 in home openers including 16-2 under Griffin since he took over in 2006, after beating Mars Hill 14-7 on Opening Day in 2023. The Eagles have won 11 straight home openers with their last loss in a lid lifter at home coming on Feb. 21, 2012, when King (Tenn.) took home a 10-7 victory.
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.
Three of C-N's top four hitters return from last season in James Denten (Mt. Prospect, Ill.), Trey Miller (Rocky Point, N.Y.) and Dalton McLain (Greeneville, Tenn.). The trio combined for 38 extra base hits and drove in 74 runs.
All-SAC reliever Jake Wright returns for his senior season after posting a 2.08 ERA last season. Wright headlines a strong core of returners including Hunter Harritan (Huntersville, N.C.), Grif Hughes (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Noah Pridmore (Ooltewah, Tenn.). These four arms combined to go 18-6 in 2023.
The Eagles won both meetings against the Tornado last season, 8-0 at home on Mar. 29 and 6-3 in Bristol on Apr. 19. C-N has won four straight games King and has won three of its last four home games in the series. Under Griffin, Carson-Newman is 17-7 when facing King.
King was picked to finish 10th in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll. King began 2023 with eight straight wins but finished the season 15-31 overall.
Conner Hyatt and Truman Roper are two key returners in the outfield for Blaine Brown's team. Hyatt has a career batting average of .246, with five doubles and 11 runs batted in. Roper has started 61 of the 66 games he has played in. He bats .294 for his career and has two triples, two home runs and 24 RBI. Mason Swartz returns to the infield and has played in 30 career games with a .293 batting average. He has driven in 10 runs and has four extra base hits.
On the mound, King returns Rhode Kirkland who made four starts and struck out 27 batters as a freshman. Right-hander Ray Berry has pitched in 44 games, with a 6-5 record in 83 1/3 innings pitched. The Academic All-Conference Carolina pitcher has three saves and 59 career punchouts.
First pitch for the doubleheader on Saturday is set 12:00 p.m. from the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. The game will air with a video stream available on FloSports with a subscription while a free audio stream will be available courtesy of the Eagle Sports Network on cneagles.com/live.
