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.