JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For just the fourth and fifth time in the last decade, Carson-Newman (25-7, 6-4 South Atlantic Conference) will play games in which both the Eagles and its opponent are nationally ranked.
The Eagles, ranked 21st in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll, make the short jaunt of US 25-E to play No. 18 Lincoln Memorial (27-7, 10-2 SAC) Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Dorothy Neely Field.
All three previous games where C-N and its foe were both ranked all featured LMU in 2019. The Railsplitters won all three meetings, sweeping the regular season series before handing C-N its first loss of the 2019 Southeast Regional.
Carson-Newman has dropped seven consecutive games to Lincoln Memorial. The Eagles haven't beaten the Railsplitters since a 12-5 win in game one of a doubleheader in 2018. The seven-game losing streak to one team is tied for the second-longest that C-N has suffered through. The Eagles also lost seven straight to Lenoir-Rhyne from 2005-07. Kennesaw State holds the record, handing C-N 16 straight losses from 1991-2001.
C-N's Emily Harris has cracked the 300-hit threshold for her career as NCAA Division II's active leader for hits. She needs eight more hits (she sits on 304) to start moving up the top 25 list for career hits in NCAA Division II history.
Carson-Newman ranks in the top 10 nationally in 10 offensive categories. The Eagles are second in doubles per game (2.28) and hits (353). C-N ranks third in runs scored (274), while checking in in fourth in doubles (73), on-base percentage (.452) and runs per game (8.56). The Eagles .378 batting average is fifth, while C-N is sixth in triples (19) and triples per game (0.59). Carson-Newman is eighth in slugging (.577).
Macey Hughes is third in the country with 47 RBI this season. Hughes has four games this year with at least four RBI and three with five or more. If Hughes maintains her average of 1.53 RBI per game, she could catch Brittany Hefner (2013) for the most RBI in a single season in SAC and school history (75).
Hughes has hit 11 home runs this season, she has the 17th doubledigit home run season in school history. Her next home run will give her 12, and put her in a tie with Sara Little, Bre Lockett, Sara Kelley, Mary Shealy and Erin Rutherford for the fifth-most in a single season.
Lincoln Memorial has the best defensive team in the country. The Railsplitters lead the nation with a .984 fielding percentage. If the season ended today, that mark would set a SAC single-season record.
Pitcher Emma Frost is sixth in the nation with her 152 strikeouts. She is second in complete-games, dealing 15 so far. Frost has double-digit punchouts in eight of her starts, including a season-high 13 against Lees-McRae.
First pitch between the Eagles and Royals is set for 1 p.m. Follow @CN_Eagles on Twitter for coverage of the contests.
