COOKEVILLE, Tenn. --The Tennessee Tech baseball team won its
fifth consecutive game, sweeping a doubl-header against
Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo at Bush Stadium on
Saturday.
Freshman Matthew Shepherd got the start in the first game and
pitched seven innings, allowing just four runs for the Golden
Eagles, as Tech topped Toledo in the first game of a double-header
at Bush Stadium, 14-7.
Tech's offense helped the young pitcher, led by freshman Ben
Burgess and senior Cory Wright, who each had three RBI's in the
game. Sophomore A.J. Kirby-Jones blasted his third home run of the
season, and Wright added his second, as the Golden Eagles took
their second straight from the Rockets, and fourth straight game
overall.
In game two, the Golden Eagles used a five-run second inning to
take the lead for good. In that inning Kirby-Jones hit a three-run
double, his seventh double of the season, and the Tech lineup
batted around. Chad Oberacker also had an RBI in inning, in
addition to his first-inning RBI.
"Both A.J. and Chad are great hitters," head coach Matt Bragga
said. "They've done really well so far this weekend."
Kirby-Jones was fierce from the plate, but also did some dammage
from the mound. He came in to relieve starting pitcher Michael
Alcorn in the fourth inning of game two, and pitched 3.1 innings,
striking out five batters while allowing just two earned runs.
The Golden Eagles compiled 23 hits over the two games, and needed
only two pitchers in each game. Tech improves to 8-2 on the season,
and has now won five consecutive games.
"It's been a good weekend so far," Bragga said. "Toledo is a good
team, and the objective tomorrow is to finish the series."
The fourth and final game of the series will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at
Bush Staduim.