Lee University comes to Mossy Creek for midweek game
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – In the midst of a five-game homestand, the Carson-Newman Eagles (6-1, 3-0 South Atlantic Conference) play host to the Lee University Flames (6-0) Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
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CARSON-NEWMAN BASEBALL GAME NOTES
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – In the midst of a five-game homestand, the Carson-Newman Eagles (6-1, 3-0 South Atlantic Conference) play host to the Lee University Flames (6-0) Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
The Eagles are riding a four-game winning streak including a three-game sweep against the Brevard Tornados that included two walk-off victories.
Part of the early season success has been the ability of the team to hit with runners in scoring position. Carson-Newman is batting .370 in such situations and has nine different players with multiple hits with runners at second or third base. Despite the success, the Eagles are hitting just .248 with the bases empty and the quality of at-bats has been a work in progress for the team.
"For hitting, we are going to spend some time on pitch selection," head coach Tom Griffin said of the team's preparation. "The other thing is getting some guys healthy. The key in the midweek is to get some guys some work."
The pitching staff has been consistent throughout the season as the Eagles boast a 2.43 earned run average having walked just nine batters and yielding a .235 batting average against. It is because of strong pitching that has allowed the team to stay close and allow for clutch hitting.
Sophomore right-hander Clayton Eames (Hoschton, Ga.) will get the ball for Griffin looking to bounce back from a shaky performance against Shorter last week where Eames allowed four runs on six hits in just two innings of work.
Lee University has won three straight games in the series with the Eagles last win coming in 2003 when Carson-Newman won 8-6. The 2003 season was also the last time that the Eagles won the SAC regular season title. Carson-Newman leads the all-time series 8-6.
The Flames are off and running on the season with a dominant pitching staff that has allowed just three earned runs in 48 innings pitched. Lee's hurlers have 55 strikeouts and just five walks allowed with opponents hitting .182.
Offensively, Lee is hitting .324 as a team and averaging over seven runs per contest. Senior right fielder Derrick Pitts is batting .455 on the year with a home run, five RBIs and nine runs scored.
Lee is coming off of a sweep against Kentucky State where the Flames outscored their opponent 30-2 and racked up 33 hits and three home runs in the series.
Carson-Newman is seeking its first five-game winning streak since the Eagles won five straight from March 19, 2011 to March 27, 2011.
"It's a process," Griffin said of the early portion of the schedule. "You want to get better and keep developing as a team. We're not at our best right now and we don't expect to be. Each day we want to get better."
A live video stream is available by visiting cneagles.com/live. Coverage begins at 1:50 p.m. on the Eagles Sports Network.
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