Eagles look to bounce back versus Mountain Lions

Eagles look to bounce back versus Mountain Lions

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (13-5) will look to avoid matching a school record for consecutive losses (five) when Concord (10-3) comes to The Vick for a Tuesday doubleheader with the Eagles at 2 p.m. 

The game had originally been scheduled as a road game for the Eagles before the Princeton, W.Va. area received several inches of snow necessitating a schedule change.

Carson-Newman is coming off a four-game losing streak this weekend at the Mid-South Classic where the Eagles lost all four games by a combined seven runs to no. 6 Armstrong Atlantic, Columbus State, Georgia College and UNC Pembroke.  The Eagles left 44 base runners stranded through the weekend. 

"That's what's most frustrating," C-N head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "Our RBI people have got to come through for us.  We left 25 runners stranded in scoring position (the Eagles had the tying run on base in all four games this weekend in one of the last two innings).  Our kids have got to show more focus and determination at the plate. We're not a bad hitting team, but we have got to do a better job in scoring opportunities."

This is only the fourth four-game losing streak in Carson-Newman history.  The Eagles lost four straight in 2003 and 2011.  Carson-Newman set the school record for consecutive losses in 2012 with five in a row. 

The Eagles took a pair of games from Concord last year in the first meetings of the series. The Eagles won the first game a year ago 7-3 before run-ruling the Mountain Lions in the second game 9-1. 

C-N belted four home runs in the series a year ago. 

However, Concord seems to be vastly improved from last year's 20-31 team.  The Mountain Lions are off to a 10-3 start and can boast of wins over a Kutztown team that started the year ranked third in the NFCA poll. 

"They've got three freshman who are right in the thick of things and contributing big time for them," Kazee-Hollifield said. "They've got quality wins over Pembroke, Francis Marion and Kutztown.  They are formidable and much improved from a year ago."

The Mountain Lions have seven regulars who hit .333 or better.  Freshman Lauren Lewis is second on the team in batting average with a .432 clip. Lacy McDougal leads the club hitting .444 with a team best 19 RBI too.  McDougal leads the pitching staff with a 1.93 ERA. Allie Reid has an unblemished 5-0 record in the circle. 

Coverage of the doubleheader is available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.

-CN-

Softball series cancelled
March 10, 2014 Softball series cancelled
Softball Schedule Shifted
February 24, 2014 Softball Schedule Shifted