VIDEO: Kentucky State Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (6-8) will aim to get back to .500 and close out a six-game homestand in style when it welcomes UNC Pembroke (7-14) to The Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex for an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday.
C-N has won four straight after starting the season 2-8.
"We still have to keep working on our strike zone knowledge," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "We want to attack pitches when they come in, so hitting and swing plane will be our focus. Pitching, we wanna keep the ball down and keep it moving."
This is Carson-Newman's first regularly scheduled doubleheader with UNC Pembroke as well as the Braves' first visit to the banks of Mossy Creek. UNCP owns a 3-0 record against the Eagles since the programs moved to NCAA Division II. The Braves won a game in the 2008 regionals against C-N and has since collected a pair of one-run wins over the Eagles which came at the 2014 and 2018 renditions of the Mid-South Classic. C-N's three wins in the series all came in the NAIA Disitrict tournaments in 1991 and 1992.
The matchup brings a familiar face back to the banks of Mossy Creek. UNCP graduate assistant coach Ashtyn Patterson started her collegiate softball career at C-N, where she started 31 games in two years at third base before transferring to Francis Marion and earning All-Conference Carolinas accolades. Her sister Ali is a former C-N cheerleader and Eagle Sports Network camera operator and married to former Carson-Newman baseball player Joe Tipton
Macey Hughes enters her senior season poised to make some inroads into the Carson-Newman softball record books. Macey Hughes sits in eighth place in Carson-Newman history for career home runs with 24, she is tied with Mandy Stevens. Next up on the all-time list is Lisa Rogers, who had 26 from 2003-06. Sara Kelley (2010-14) holds the program's all-time record with 35. Hughes is also top 10 all-time in RBI with 138. She sits in eighth in a tie with Mary Shealey (2009-12).
Macauley Bailey sits on 20 career home runs, the 13th player in school history with 20 career blasts. Her next home run will tie her with Katie Pritchett and Staci Fish for the 11th most in a career in school history. Two more home runs and she draws level with two-time All-American Elayna Siebert and her 22 home runs for 10th all-time.
Starting pitcher Emma Frost has been on a tear in the circle. She has fired 12 consecutive innings of shut out softball. Frost has shut out back-to-back foes, including a perfect game in her last outing against Kentucky State. The senior pitcher has 19 shutouts in her career dating back to her time playing at Lincoln Memorial. Frost is second among all active players in NCAA Division II with 72 career complete games and 71 wins.
First pitch between C-N and UNCP is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday. Coverage is available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available through FloSports with a subscription at cneagles.com/FloSB.
