After three seasons, Griffin is top's in SAC history with a .709 (44-18) record in conference play.

June 10, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman baseball team has signed nine players for the 2009 season, head coach Tom Griffin announced Tuesday.

Shortstop Robbie Thigpen (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and former Jefferson County High School standout Nick Sherrod (Strawberry Plains, Tenn.) highlight a versatile spring class that includes five infielders and three right-handed pitchers.

"We are very excited about the players joining us in the fall, Griffin said. " This is a talented and athletic group of players that should give us a competitive fall season. Replacing a productive class of seniors will be a tough task."

Thigpen, the son of former major-leaguer Bobby Thigpen, batted .397 as a senior at Shorecrest High School, earning District Player of the Year honors. He also struck out 70 in 60 innings pitched, compiling a 2.25 ERA.

"Robbie is a very fundamental player," Griffin said. "He'll compete for a spot on the mound and at short."

Sherrod joins the Eagles after batting .480 with seven home runs at Jefferson County this spring. The outfielder earned District Player of the Year and All-Northeast Tennessee accolades, in addition to playing basketball for the Patriots.

"Nick has some power at the plate, Griffin said. "He's another local product that has a big future in our program."

The Eagles added a trio of right-handed pitchers in their spring class.

D.J Ferguson (Jupiter, Fla.) will be an Eagle after two years at Palm Beach Community College, where, as a reliever, he struck out 40 in 36 innings this spring. He played in the Florida Fall All-Star Game while at Palm Beach.

Ferguson will be joined on the staff by Nashville-area native Reed Williams (Hemitage, Tenn.), who held opponents to a .241 batting average for Donelson Christian this spring. He also was a wide receiver on DCA's state semi-finalist football team.

Lucas Harry (Louisville, Ky.) is the fourth pitcher in the class. The Eastern High School product went 5-2 as a senior, tossing five complete games. He finished with a 1.50 ERA playing for former C-N standout T.J Graves.

Infielders Anthony Woods (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Rob Riley (Ringgold, Ga.) will both compete for a spot up the middle. Woods batted .434 as a senior at American Christian Academy, leading his team to a 30-7 season and a third-place finish at the state tournament. Riley, a second baseman, led Ringgold to a state tournament berth with a .375 batting average and .511 on-base percentage.

Carson-Newman also added catcher Antonio Nickel (Naples, Fla.). The Eagles lost four-year starter Jonathan McMahon behind the plate, and Nickel could be the leading candidate to replace him in the spring.

Infielder/outfielder Brandon Webb (Madisonville, Tenn.) will also join Griffin's squad in the fall. He played for Adam Kefauver, a former Eagle, at Sequoyah High School.

C-N's nine spring signees bring the incoming class size to 14, counting five early signees; Ryan Hendrickson (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) RHP, Brandon Laine (Lake Sumter, Fla) RHP, Mason Guymon (Oak Ridge, Tenn.), Lucas Mohon (Glasgow, Ky.) RHP, and Zach Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.), Infielder.

The Eagles were 43-18 in 2008, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Release on Fall Signees