April 11, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -18th-ranked Carson-Newman needs two wins.

Coach Vickee Hollifield's Lady Eagles travel to Newberry on Saturday with a chance to clinch at least a share of their 13th South Atlantic Conference. Carson-Newman (40-6, 10-2) will need both potential wins in the doubleheader against the Indians to assure itself of at least a piece of the title.

C-N is tied with Lenoir-Rhyne for the top spot in the SAC. It split with L-R, who plays at Catawba on Saturday, in March.

Also within reach on Saturday is Carson-Newman's single-season record for wins. With two wins, Hollifield's squad would match the school-record for wins (42) in a single season. A mark set by her 1991 NAIA squad, a team that opened the year 42-5, before dropping its final three games.

Carson-Newman's NCAA-best for wins is 41, set in 2002.

The Lady Eagles will continue to heavily rely on red-hot pitching entering the final weekend of regular-season action and next week's South Atlantic Conference Tournament.

C-N has allowed just two hits in its last four games, and has not allowed an earned run in 49.2 innings.

Senior Zoe Heim (Gallatin, Tenn.) and sophomore Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) each seem to be hitting their stride. Heim (1.02) leads the SAC in earned run average, while Templeton (1.08) is second.

Templeton tossed a six-inning perfect game against Brevard on Tuesday in 9-0 C-N win, which Heim followed with a no-hitter at Pfeiffer in a 5-0 win less than 24 hours later. Each fired a one-hitter opposite the other's hitless game.

Dating back to a doubleheader at Lincoln Memorial on March 29, C-N has allowed just three runs, one earned, in 64.1 innings.

The Lady Eagles will face Newberry twice on Saturday in Newberry, South Carolina. First pitch is at 1 p.m.

Carson-Newman will host King College on Monday afternoon in Jefferson City at 2 p.m. The doubleheader will mark Senior Day for Heim, Whitney Hickam (Knoxville Tenn.), and Mandy Stevens (Knoxville Tenn.).