JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (12-2, 7-1 South Atlantic Conference) will look to keep a marvelous March on the move when it heads to Wise, Va. to tangle with the University of Virginia's College at Wise (5-12-1, 2-6 SAC) Tuesday with a 2 p.m. twinbill.
"Our focus is staying hot at the plate and keep striving to get better in other areas," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "As long as we give focus and effort in those areas, the results will take care of themselves."
Carson-Newman has been swinging the hottest bat in the South Atlantic Conference this season. The Eagles lead the league in batting average and are eighth nationally hitting .382.
The Eagles offense in general has been stratospheric. C-N ranks fifth nationally with a .479 on-base percentage, fifth in runs per game with 9.14 and third in total runs with 128.
C-N has scored nine runs in every game on its seven-game winning streak while pounding out double-digit hits in six of those contests.
The Eagles have put up double-digit hits in nine of their last 11 contests, including five of seven with at least 13 knocks.
C-N has the country's fifth highest scoring offense, putting up 9.14 runs per game.
Carson-Newman has been staggeringly good with runners on base. The Eagles are 87-of-209 (.416) with runners. Carson-Newman is hitting .412 with runners in scoring position. Carson-Newman's worst hitter with runners in scoring position is Shannon Smith. She's batting .348 in those situations. Katie Eakes, Lacie Rinus and Leah Sohm all hit .500 or better in that situation.
Smith rides a 10-game hitting streak into the doubleheader.
Katie Eakes and Shannon Smith have prolific at delivering Eagles across the plate. Eakes and Smith have each driven in 22 and 26 RBI, respectively to rank third and second nationally as well as in the SAC. LMU's Audrey Petoskey is the country's leader in RBI with 31.
Lacie Rinus became Carson-Newman's fourth member of the 600 K club in C-N's game one win over Limestone on March 10. Rinus is fourth all-time in Ks at Carson-Newman. She needs 57 more to catch Carson-Newman Hall of Famer Heather Randolph for third all-time.
Leah Sohm has been fleet-of-foot and highly dangerous on the base paths. The senior's 12 stolen bases are first in the conference and sixth nationally.
Carson-Newman has three of the top five batting averages in the league. Sohm is second in the league with a .525 tally. Lacie Rinus third at .514 and Katie Eakes fourth at .500.
UVA Wise is looking for its first win since March 9 when the Highland Cavaliers swept a doubleheader from Newberry.
Follow @CNathletics on Twitter for live updates of the doubleheader on Tuesday.
