JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Looking to bounce back after dropping two games in a midweek doubleheader against Lee, Carson-Newman (3-2) has a big opportunity against four Conference Carolinas opponents in the Big Region Preseason Invitational at Winged Deer Park in Johnson City, Tennessee.
The Eagles will start the event on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. matchup with Converse before a 4:30 p.m. matchup with Lees-McRae. On Sunday, C-N will start the day against the hosts King at 11:00 a.m. before rounding out the four-game weekend against Barton at 1:30 p.m.
C-N vs. Converse
The Eagles start the busy weekend against a familiar opponent, squaring off with the Converse Valkyries. It's the 7th all-time meeting with the Valkyries, and the Eagles have won all six previous matchups.
C-N matched up with Converse last season at The Vick, and C-N came out on top in two tight matchups.
The Eagles needed a walk-off hit in game one in a back-and-forth matchup, as Abbi Martin (Gadsden, Ala.) cashed in the winning run in the bottom half of the 7th. Riley Lingerfelt tossed 6.2 innings for the Valkyries, allowing seven runs and 11 hits while striking out seven C-N hitters.
Despite the two long balls in the contest going to the Valkyries, the Eagles had timely hitting from Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) and Martin, cashing in two runs apiece, helping C-N overcome a late three-run burst from Converse to come out on top in game one of two.
Game two featured more offense between the two sides, combining for 28 hits and 20 runs. Despite being outhit in the second game, C-N produced a pair of big innings in the 2nd and the 4th, tallying nine of the 12 runs in those two frames.
Martin and Bailey produced again in the second inning, with the Gadsden, Alabama native circling the bases on an inside-the-park home run before Bailey crushed a three-run shot to combine for the five runs in the frame.
The other big inning in the 4th featured a Macauley Bailey RBI-single to add to her big day before Brooklyn Lucero scored one on a hit by pitch, and Kennady Warder scored one on an RBI knock. The two big innings proved enough for C-N to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Despite a 2-6 start to the 2025 season, there have been a few highlights for the Valkyries. Both wins for Converse have been shutouts, one coming against the Limestone Saints. The other shutout featured a no-hitter from Riley Lingerfelt, striking out 16 in a complete-game no-no against Clark Atlanta.
Offensively, the Valkyries are led by Sydney Watson who is hitting .423 through eight games with 11 hits, four going for extra bases, and seven RBIs to lead the team.
The Eagles look to stay undefeated against the Valkyries on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
C-N vs. Lees-McRae 4:30 p.m.
The Eagles and the Bobcats close out the first day of the Big Region Preseason Invitational shortly following the conclusion of the C-N's matchup with Converse. It's the 23rd all-time meeting between the two sides, and C-N owns the all-time series 21-1, winners of 19-straight.
C-N last faced off with Lees-McRae in 2022, a doubleheader decided by five runs combined, which both went the way of the Eagles. The matchups in 2022 included two of six matchups across the all-time series that were decided by three runs or less. Over the years, C-N has garnered great success against the Bobcats, with 14 of the 22 matchups resulting in shutouts in the Eagles' favor.
It was a big day for Hayden Dye (Knoxville, Tenn.) who started the C-N scoring with an RBI-groundout in game one to tie the game at one. With the Eagles up 4-2 in the 3rd, Dye singled up the middle to score one before mashing a solo home run in the 5th to cap off a 5-2 win for the Eagles.
In game two, C-N jumped out to an early 3-1 lead before Lees-McRae scored the next two to bring the game even at three-apiece entering the bottom of the 6th. Dye delivered one of the biggest hits of the ballgame in the home half of the 6th inning, launching her second home run of the day to give the Eagles a late advantage. C-N would add one more to pull ahead for good, completing the doubleheader sweep with a 5-3 win in game two.
It has been a challenging start to 2025 for the Bobcats, dropping each of their first six games. Starting the season with four non-conference matchups against SAC opponents, Lees-McRae was outscored 61-11, including a 32-1 loss to Emory & Henry. However, the Bobcats showed fight in their next two games, taking Tusculum to extra innings in two midweek matchups with the Pioneers.
Offensively, the Bobcats have five hitters hitting above .350 through the first six games, led by Abby Hatley. The freshman is hitting .500 through her first six games of her college career, tallying three RBIs.
In the circle, Hayley Lawing has thrown 20.1 of the 33.1 innings so far for the Bobcats, posting an 8.26 ERA and an 0-5 record.
The Eagles will look to push their win streak to 20 against the Bobcats with the matchup at 4:30 on Saturday in Johnson City.
C-N vs. King, 11:00 a.m. Sunday
Carson-Newman matches up with in-state adversary King for the 29th all-time meeting on Sunday, leading the all-time series, 21-7. However, King has won the last two, sweeping a doubleheader against C-N in 2024.
In game one, C-N jumped out to a 3-0 lead, capped off by an Abbi Martin RBI-single to give the Eagles a three-run edge heading to the bottom of the 4th. However, King scored the next four, as Alyssa Suits gave the Tornado the lead on a sacrifice bunt to give King a 4-3 lead after five. That would be all the Tornado needed to take the first of two in Bristol.
It was all King in game two, jumping out to a 5-0 lead off of an Alyssa Suits RBI-single and Jessica Campbell's first of two three-run home runs to give the Tornado a five-run edge after two. Macauley Bailey cut into the deficit with an RBI-single in the 3rd, but another Jessica Campbell three-run home run pushed the King lead to a game-high eight runs in the 3rd. King would continue to extend its lead, capitalized by a Campbell two-RBI double to cap off her eight-RBI afternoon en route to a 13-2 King win.
So far this season, King is 1-1 with a season-opening win over West Virginia Wesleyan in the opening weekend before a loss to Lynn in game two of the day. Autumn Campbell and Bradlie Warner lead the way in batting average for the Tornado through two games, hitting .400 after the opening weekend. Alyssa Suits leads King in RBIs, tallying four through two games.
King used four arms throughout the first two games, all seeing meaningful time. Savana Luper is credited with King's lone win in the 2025 campaign, tossing five strong innings against West Virginia Wesleyan, allowing just two hits. Sophia Waters, Kylee Horsley, and Kaylee Meeks combined for the nine innings outside Luper's start.
C-N will look to get back to its winning ways against its in-state foe on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
C-N vs. Barton, 1:30 p.m. Sunday
C-N closes the weekend with the first all-time meeting against the Conference Carolina's Barton Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs started the season with a 3-2 win over USC Aiken but have dropped the last three, falling in the second game of the twin bill to the Pacers before a doubleheader loss to Catawba at home.
Offensively, the Bulldogs are led by Savannah Olson who is hitting .429 with four RBIs in just seven at bats. Taylor MacKenzie has also produced, hitting .400 with an RBI.
Kiersten Cooper and Ronetta Gurley have combined for most of the innings in the circle for Barton. Cooper has tossed 15.1 innings so far, accounting for the lone Bulldog win. She has struck out ten and has a 5.02 ERA through three appearances. Despite the loss, Gurley was stellar in her 2025 debut, allowing just two in a seven-inning outing against Catawba.
C-N and Barton close the weekend with the first all-time meeting on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
No live stream will be available for the weekend's contests, but fans can follow along at cneagles.com/livestats. Sunday's games will feature an audio stream available at cneagles.com/live.
For updates throughout the Carson-Newman softball season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media @cn_eagles.
