C-N faces challenging schedule in 2009
Jan. 26, 2009
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- The Carson-Newman baseball team's 2009 schedule will be one of the most difficult in recent years.
Under new regional changes, all but four games will be counted as regional games.
The Eagles will open the season on Feb. 1 at Augusta State of the Peach Belt Conference.
"We have opened up with Augusta State for a lot of years," Eagles coach Tom Griffin said. "It is a solid program, and we always have close, competitive games with them."
Following the first weekend, C-N travels to University of Montevallo, a team that finished runner-up in the Gulf South Conference Tournament last year.
C-N will host three schools that made appearances in the NCAA Regionals in 2008. Northern Kentucky, which is ranked No. 26 in the Collegiate Baseball Magazine NCAA Division II Preseason Poll, will visit on Feb. 14 and 15.
North Georgia, the No. 17 team in the preseason poll, visits for a two-game set starting on March 3, and Wayne State (Mich.) will visit Jefferson City on March 14 for a three-game series.
Home-and-home games will be played with Carolina Conference squads Pfeiffer, Limestone, Anderson University and Belmont Abbey.
"All of these games are important for possible at-large selection to the Regionals," Griffin said. "All of these schools are well coached, and we respect them a great deal".
The selection for the regional tournament will come from the South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt Conference and Carolina Conference.
The Eagles will begin conference play against Catawba College on Feb. 21 at home. C-N will also host Tusculum, Brevard and Wingate.
"Conference play is very competitive," Griffin said. "Two teams are ranked in the preseason top 30 (Tusculum and Catawba). The league is very balanced and will represent well in non-conference play."
