VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman begins its 35th voyage as a softball program with a trip to Spartanburg, S.C. to challenge Converse to open the 2020 campaign at Tyger River Park Field.
The Eagles swept last season's twinbill at The Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex with an 8-0 run-rule win in game one and a 6-1 triumph in the night cap.
"They have good athletes," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "That's something we noticed when we played them last year. Jenn (George) does a nice job coaching them. They have an advantage because they'll have played four times by the time we take them on."
Carson-Newman is 30-2 all-time in season openers. C-N's only opening day losses came in 1997 to Division I Radford 2-0 and in 2011 at Bellarmine 2-0. C-N's largest margin of victory on opening day came in 1992 with an 18-0 decision over Trevecca Nazarene. The Eagles have won eight straight opening day games.
While this is just the third meeting all-time with Converse, the Eagles are 57-13 over the last seven years against mem- bers of Conference Carolinas. Carson-Newman has won 11 straight against schools from the league dating back to a 9-3 loss to King on Feb. 13, 2018.
"We're excited to get going," Graves said. "Our seniors have been great. They don't make it about themselves, but they do a good job of getting our younger players fired up to play and to understand the opportunity that they have in front of them."
The Eagles have won 15 straight non-conference games. C-N went unbeaten in non-conference play for the second time ever last season. Carson-Newman's last loss out of SAC play came to Young Harris in an 8-0 defeat in April 2018.
Converse was picked last in the 12-team Conference Carolinas with 15 votes. The Valkyries list third baseman Allyson Plafcan and short stop Brooklyn McElrath as players to watch this season. Plafcan led the team last year with a .294 batting average and 16 RBI.
The Valkyries lost 21 straight games to close last season. Tusculum run-ruled the Valks twice to open the season Saturday with 14-5 and 9-0 defeats. Tusculum ripped four home runs in the sweep.
Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) enters her senior season with a chance to enter her name among the all-time greats. She needs eight home runs to tie Sara Kelley for the program's all-time career record. Fiessinger enters her senior season with 27. She also starts her final year with 41 doubles. She would need 20 doubles to match Whitney Hickam for the program record for career two-baggers. Fiessinger is presently tied for eighth in career doubles and tied for fifth in career home runs.
First pitch between the Eagles and Valks is set for 2 p.m. Monday. Follow @cnathletics on Twitter for live in-game updates.
