HARROGATE, Tenn. — It's been a great week for the Lincoln Memorial University softball team. Hours before the Lady Railsplitters' first pitch against nationally-ranked Carson-Newman, the NFCA Division II Coaches Poll was released with Lincoln Memorial's name listed for the first time ever at No. 23.
 
The Lady Railsplitters showed just why they made their way into the poll, sweeping the No. 9-ranked Lady Eagles, 4-3 and 6-1, in the top-25 matchup in Jefferson City, Tenn. Not only were the pair of wins a statement for the South Atlantic Conference's eighth-place picked preseason team, but a notice for the others around the league as the Lady Railsplitters, who have won the last 15 of 16 games, move onto the next SAC doubleheader at Dorothy Neely Field.
 
The Basics
Saturday, March 23 vs. Queens — 1 & 3 p.m. 
Live Stats (Game One / Game Two)
Video
 
Quick Hits
 
-The Lady Railsplitters' doubleheader sweep at Carson-Newman was their first since April 28, 1988, when LMU defeated the Eagles, 12-1 and 4-3. It was also the Lady Railsplitters' second sweep of a ranked team since Lincoln Memorial took down then-No. 19 Alabama-Huntsville in a pair of 1-nil victories April 24, 1999.
 
-A pair of pitching gems from Justice Smith (7-0) and Faith Howe (8-2) powered LMU (25-5, 3-1 SAC) to the two upset victories as the offense did the rest. In the first game, Kelsie Hocutt's sixth home run of the season — a three-run shot in the third inning — started the come-from-behind surge to knot the score at 3-all and put the senior in a five-way tie for fourth place in SAC home runs. It also pushed Hocutt in sole possession of fourth place in the conference with her 30 RBI, which is good for a second-team best.
 
-Bella Buccellato used her fifth double of the season to push across Grace Cochran and secure the eventual game-winning run. In the second game, McKenzie Henry's conference, team-leading 38th RBI scored Ty-Kella Goins following her team-best 11th double of the season.
 
-In the lineup for the third consecutive game, Kelsie Tuggle was huge for the Lady Railsplitters, using a pair of doubles — for a total of three now — to bring in two important RBI. It was then Goins putting the finishing touches on the statement as she ripped her third homer just inside the right-field foul pole, making sure Lincoln Memorial was leaving Jefferson City with a sweep in its pocket.
 
-The Lady Railsplitters entered that doubleheader sweep as the No. 1 team in multiple categories among the SAC and left in the same way. LMU is first in at-bats (790), runs (223), hits (265), doubles (68), RBI (198), extra-base hits (105), total bases (435), walks (110), hit-by-pitch (25), sacrifice hits (24), on-base percentage (.428) and slugging percentage (.551).
 
-LMU is also second in home runs (28), batting average (.335) and stolen bases (39) while ranking fourth in triples (nine).
 
Know the Opponent
 
-The Royals (13-5, 3-1 SAC) got the best of the then-No. 7 Carson-Newman Eagles in their first SAC series a weekend ago. Queens handed the undefeated team its first loss of the season in the opening, 1-0, victory before splitting the doubleheader.
 
-Like the Lady Railsplitters, Queens comes into these pair of conference games on the winning side as the Royals swept Catawba on their home field, 9-4 and 2-1, Tuesday.
 
-Winners of the last five of six games, the Royals have been paced by Courtney Pearson (8-1) and her conference second-best 1.39 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched. The junior also leads the four-arm pitching staff with her 70 strikeouts, while Shannon McGuire (4-3) has a 3.38 ERA through 39.1 innings and 44 strikeouts.
 
-Offensively, McKenzie McCullen paces the Royals with her 4.15 batting average, which is fifth in the SAC, and her team-high five home runs and 17 RBI. Gerlea Patton is next with her .383 clip, team-high 60 at-bats, 23 hits, 15 runs scored and four triples.
 
-Kelly Winter has reached via a free pass, good for one a game with 18 walks, while Grace Valchar has 10 and Sydney Ditto has six to lead the Royals' 67 total walks to rank eighth in the conference.
 
-The Royals are third among the SAC in combined ERA (2.57) and caught stealing (six). Meanwhile, Queens is fifth in triples (eight) and sacrifice hits (13), along with eighth in home runs (16) and walks (67).
 
Head-to-Head
 
-The roles are reversed this season. Last year the Lady Railsplitters traveled to nationally-ranked No. 19 Queens for a doubleheader whereas now the unranked Royals are coming to Harrogate, Tenn., for the matchup versus newly-ranked No. 23 Lincoln Memorial.
 
-All-time against the Royals, the Lady Railsplitters are 8-6, being 3-1 at home, 3-3 on the road and 2-2 in a neutral site. LMU is aiming to get back on the winning side after losing the last four of five meetings and last defeating the SAC foe in 2017.