COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Three Tech pitchers combined for 16
strikeouts, but Tech’s bats were quieted by Cleveland State
pitcher Anthony Sambula as the Tennessee Tech baseball team fell to
CSU 7-2 in the first game a three-game set on Friday evening.
Adam Liberatore got the start for Tech and struck out eight batters
in 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs. Wade Bilbrey came in
and went 1.2 innings and struck out four. Freshman Nick Price threw
the final 2.2 innings and fanned four batters.
Sambula pitched 8.2 innings for CSU and struck out 10 Tech batters,
and allowed just two runs in the win, handing Tech its first
home-opening loss since 2005.
“Their kid threw really well, and we didn’t play
well,” TTU head coach Matt Bragga said. “They were
better than us today. When we come out tomorrow hopefully
we’ll be better than we were today. We’ll be back, we
have a good team with a lot of good players and we’ll be
ready to go tomorrow.”
In a 6-0 hole in the bottom of the fifth inning Tech got
back-to-back hits to start the inning. Chad Hayes singled to center
field and Casanova Donaldson double to right center, which set up a
sacrifice fly from Frankie Beech that made the score 6-1. But Tech
was unable to do anymore damage in the inning.
After CSU made the score 7-1 in the seventh inning, A.J.
Kirby-Jones hit his second home run of the season for the deciding
7-2 margin.
Tech had runners on base in all nine innings, but hit into double
plays in the first three, and stranded 10 runners in the final
six.
“Those double-plays are really big, especially when
you’re trying to get something going,” Bragga said.
“That’s part of the game. We need to be tougher and be
able to battle back from those situations.”
Beech and Chad Oberacker each had two hits in the game. Oberacker
went 2-for-4, while Beech went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Tech finished
with two runs on eight hits and two errors, while Cleveland State
had seven runs on eight hits and no errors in the game.
The second game of the three-game series will be played Saturday at
Bush Stadium beginning at 1 p.m. The two teams will wrap up the set
with a game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
June 28, 2010
Building a Tradition of Excellence
June 20, 2010
A.J. and Chad: Tech's Outstanding Male Athletes for 2010
June 18, 2010
Golden Eagle sluggers earn a couple more
June 4, 2010
Tech's David Mays inducted into OVC Hall of Fame
May 17, 2010
Oberacker owns the votes for OVC Player of the Week
May 16, 2010
Skyhawks snap Techs win streak in series finale
May 6, 2010
Golden Eagles and Govs face off at Tech
May 1, 2010
Entire series washed out at Eastern Kentucky
April 28, 2010
Golden Eagles eye sweep of ETSU on the road Wednesday night
April 25, 2010
Five home runs lift Tech to OVC sweep, third place in OVC
April 24, 2010
Tech vs. Morehead Series Delayed Due to Rain
April 23, 2010
Start time moves up to 11 a.m. against Morehead State
April 20, 2010
MTSU snaps Techs five-game winning streak, 11-5
April 13, 2010
Golden Eagles complete season sweep over Belmont, 15-3
April 10, 2010
Golden Eagles drop pair of tight OVC contests at SEMO
April 7, 2010
Oberacker slams Tech to 12-8 victory over Lipscomb
April 6, 2010
Patience and power pay off as Tech tops Lipscomb, 15-14
March 27, 2010
Golden Eagles felled twice by SIUE Cougars Saturday
March 20, 2010
Memphis wins 6-1 over Tennessee Tech
March 16, 2010
Golden Eagle baseball team faces two in-state foes
March 14, 2010
Tech tops Buffalo in series finale
March 13, 2010
Golden Eagles split Saturday double-header with Buffalo
March 10, 2010
Golden Eagles snap skid with 14-13 win over South Alabama
March 9, 2010
Golden Eagles visit South Alabama for a pair
March 3, 2010
Early Vandy lead holds up, Tech falls 10-1 to Commodores
March 2, 2010
Golden Eagles visit No. 30 Vanderbilt
February 28, 2010
Golden Eagles clinch series with dominating win over Cleveland State
February 27, 2010
Seventh inning rally leads Tech to 10-8 victory
February 26, 2010
Tech pitchers fan 16 but fall 7-2 in home opener
February 26, 2010
Tech's A.J. Kirby-Jones featured on PingBaseball.com
February 25, 2010
Schedule changes announced for Saturday's action
February 24, 2010
Tech set for home opener against Cleveland State
February 20, 2010
Georgia Southern out-lasts Golden Eagles
February 19, 2010
Golden Eagles win season opener at Georgia Southern
February 18, 2010
Outstanding TTU Alumni include two athletes, one supporter
February 17, 2010
Golden Eagles begin championship defense this weekend
February 4, 2010
Golden Eagle baseball camp canceled Saturday
January 22, 2010
Long-time TTU supporter Howell Bush passes away at age 94
January 19, 2010
Tech's Bragga honored as TBCA Coach of the Year
January 18, 2010
Baseball team to face new and traditional rivals, 24 OVC games
December 17, 2009
Former Golden Eagle pitcher Erik Sabel coaching at Visalia