Eagles Open 2010 Baseball Season on Friday at Augusta State
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman baseball team hopes a
wealth of experience and a group of talented newcomers will lead to
a third NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons, as it begins
its 2010 campaign this weekend.
Carson-Newman opens its season on Friday afternoon against Augusta
State University. The Eagles and Jaguars meet in for a four-game
series beginning Friday at 3 p.m. Saturday’s doubleheader
begins at noon, while the series finale on Sunday is set for a 1
p.m. first pitch. All four games are at Lake Olmstead Stadium in
Augusta, Ga.
The Eagles return their top five batting averages from a season
ago, including a trio of All-South Atlantic Conference performers.
C-N also returns five pitchers with over 26 innings of work last
season.
After back-to-back NCAA appearances in 2007 and 2008, the Eagles
went 24-21 a season ago, their fifth winning season in as many
years under head coach Tom Griffin.
Seniors Derek Long and Mills Rogers will anchor the Eagles’
infield, as well as the middle of the C-N lineup. Long a first team
All-SAC selection at first base, batted .353 last season with 55
hits and 12 doubles. Rogers was fourth on the team with a .346
average and 14 extra-base hits.
Third baseman Wesley Dozier is C-N’s third big bat on the
infield. The junior batted .348 with three home runs in 32 starts
last season.
Sophomores Aaron Vargas and Zach Long, along with true freshman
Tyler Davis give the Eagles a number of options at both second and
third base. Vargas started 36 games at second base last season,
batting .266. He also stole eight bases. Long started 20 games at
third base and in the outfield.
Fellow sophomore Morgan Gregory will back up Long at first base and
will pinch hit.
Second team All-SAC selection Evan Patterson and University of
Tennessee transfer Jeff Lockwood will anchor the Eagles’
outfield. Patterson, who will likely leadoff, batted .397 last
season, which led the team. He also stole 24 bases on 26 attempts.
Lockwood, a freshman All-American at Tennessee in 2007, had two
home runs and 21 RBIs for the Vols last season.
Seniors Corey Lamson, juniors Cody Nix and Jon Dalton, along with
freshman Lucas Mohon will all factor into the Eagles’
outfield rotation. Lamson had 15 extra-base hits last season, while
batting .319. Nix finished the year with five doubles.
Sophomore Mason Guymon will handle the bulk of the duties behind
the plate for the Eagles. He batted .258 in starting 25 games for
Griffin’s squad. Freshman Lance Reed will compete with Guymon
for starts.
A year of experience and a pair of impressive newcomers will anchor
what should be a much-improved Eagle rotation and bullpen.
Sophomore Robby Thigpen is likely to take the ball for the Eagles
as the opening day starter, in what will be a deeper and more
experienced rotation. He was 3-1 a season ago and had a team-low
ERA of 3.66.
Seniors Wes McIntyre and D.J. Ferguson, along with Lockwood, will
all get starts. McIntyre went 4-2 a season ago, while Ferguson had
a 1-1 record with 32.2 innings pitched. Lockwood had three saves in
16 appearances at Tennessee last year. His 4.10 ERA was third on
the team.
Redshirt freshman Evan Faithful, along with junior college
transfers Austin Bridgewater and Cy Fraker will factor into the
starting rotation. Both Bridgewater and Fraker could get starts on
opening weekend.
The C-N bullpen is also expected to be much deeper and improved.
Seniors Ryan Hendrickson, Michael Elliott, and Chase Boruff
combined for seven saves last seasons. Returner
Dustin Dalton, along with redshirt freshmen Lucas Harry and Zach
Groat should also see time. Newcomers Mike Mullen, Ryan Fillers,
and Lucas Watson will add to the depth of the bullpen
Carson-Newman opens conference play on Feb. 19 at home against
Lincoln Memorial University. The Eagles host the Railsplitters,
Lenoir-Rhyne University, Mars Hill College, and Newberry all in
conference play. The South Atlantic Conference Tournament begins
April 22 in Forest City, N.C.
