Baseball heads to Shorter for final tune-up before SAC play
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Coming off of a series victory at GRU Augusta, Carson-Newman (2-1) travels to Shorter (0-3) Wednesday afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.
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CARSON-NEWMAN BASEBALL GAME NOTES
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Coming off of a series victory at GRU Augusta, Carson-Newman (2-1) travels to Shorter (0-3) Wednesday afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.
The Eagles took the first two games against the Jaguars before falling 3-2 in the final game of the series allowing three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The 2-1 start marks the first time since 2009 that Carson-Newman has ended the first weekend with a winning record.
While the pitching staff was sharp in the first weekend posting a 1.85 ERA and allowing just 22 base runners in 24.1 innings, the offense hit just .244 with a .300 on-base percentage in the first three games.
"We are going to work on some approaches to hitting," head coach Tom Griffin said of the offensive adjustments. "That's the normal process that everyone has to go through."
Despite the overall struggles of the offense, the Eagles were 7-for-21 (.333) with runners in scoring position with six different hitters combining for the seven hits.
Junior outfielder Cody Fox (Seymour, Tenn.) led the way offensively compiling an extra-base hit in each game while hitting .364 with a home run and two doubles.
Sophomore right-hander Clayton Eames (Hoschton, Ga.) will get the start for Griffin's group. Eames appeared in nine games with four starts in 2013 tallying an 0-2 record with a 5.23 ERA.
The righty was more effective away from the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex last season as he accumulated a 4.50 ERA in six road games over 16 innings compared to a 7.71 ERA in 4.2 innings pitched at the friendly confines.
In 2013, Carson-Newman was 11-16 in road games and Griffin wants to see a different demeanor from his team when they take the field Wednesday.
"We work hard every day," Griffin said about getting prepared for the first midweek game of the year. "We have to play with energy. I thought the first two innings [on Sunday] we did not have the energy level."
The Eagles are 3-28 (.107) at the plate in the first three innings this season compared to 19-62 (.306) at the dish the rest of the game. Carson-Newman scored two runs in the first inning of game two against GRU Augusta.
Shorter lost two of the three games last weekend at Barry University by one run including an 8-7 loss in 10 ten innings on Sunday.
Ian Redetzky and Chad Ikerd lead the offense as each hit .364 in the first series combining for five RBIs.
On the mound, the Hawks yielded 32 hits and 15 walks in 23 innings pitched with no hurler lasting more than 4.2 innings. Barry University hit .348 in the series.
A live audio stream is available at cneagles.com/live with pregame coverage beginning at 1:50 p.m. on the Eagle Sports Network.
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