Start time moved to 11 a.m. Saturday with rain
forecast later in the day
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Is Bush Stadium big enough to contain A.J.
Kirby-Jones, J.D. Ashbrook, Drew Lee and Chad Oberacker?
The top three home run hitters in the Ohio Valley Conference and
four of the most prolific hitters in the nation meet this weekend
at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex when Tennessee Tech hosts
Morehead State in a three-game league series.
In an effort to get in at least one game Saturday before rain
moves in later in the day, the start time has been moved up to 11
a.m. The remainder of the weekend schedule will be determined
by the weather, so please check TTUsports.com for updates.
Admission is free.
Tennessee Tech is paced by juniors Chad Oberacker (left) and A.J.
Kirby Jones (right). Oberacker leads the OVC in hits and doubles
and ranks third in batting average at .439. Kirby-Jones tops the
league in home runs with 18, and is also first in the OVC in
slugging percentage and walks.
Ashbrook tops the conference in batting average at .460 and ranks
first in runs scored and second in both total bases and home runs
(17). Lee, hitting .405, is first in RBI, second in total bases and
third in home runs with 15.
The Golden Eagles (4-5 OVC/18-20 overall), currently in sixth place in the league, look to capitalize on the first of five remaining Ohio Valley Conference series when the MSU Eagles visit. It's a crucial series for both teams, which are in a dogfight for position in the middle of the conference standings. Morehead State (5-4 OVC/22-17 overal) is one game ahead of Tech in fourth place.
Tech will look to stifle a four-game win binge for Morehead State, which recorded double-figure wins over Marshall University (15-6) and in each game during a three-game rampage against Eastern Kentucky last week. MSU has scored 72 runs in its last four games.
In addition to boosting their conference record, Golden Eagle wins over Morehead would avenge last year’s meeting between the two conference rivals when Tech suffered a series loss at the hands of the Eagles, two games to one.
Senior lefty Adam Liberatore (4-4/4.85 ERA) will start on the
mound for Tech in the first game while Golden Eagle batters will
face Michael Bottoms (4-2/6.66). In the second half of
Saturday’s double header, Tech will send senior Lee Henry
(2-3/2.53) to the mound where he will face Matthew Robertson
(1-2/9.19).
Tyler Hieneman (1-2/8.53) will pitch for Morehead State in
Sunday’s game, while Tech's starter has not been announced.
J.D. Ashbook | 
Drew Lee |
The Golden Eagles will face OVC teams in 15 of the final 18 regular season competitions. Here is Tech's remaining 2010 schedule, with OVC games highlighted in bold type:
Apr. 24 Morehead St.
1:00 PM
Morehead St.
4:30 PM
Apr. 25 Morehead St.
1:00 PM
Apr. 28 at East Tenn.
State 6:00 PM
May. 1 at Eastern Ky.
1:00 PM
at Eastern Ky.
4:30
PM
May. 2 at Eastern Ky.
1:00
PM
May. 8 Austin Peay
3:00 PM
Austin Peay
6:30 PM
May. 9 Austin Peay
1:00 PM
May. 11 Middle Tennessee
6:00 PM
May. 15 at Tenn.-Martin
1:00 PM
at Tenn.-Martin
4:30 PM
May. 16 at Tenn.-Martin
1:00 PM
May. 18 at Western Carolina
6:00 PM
May. 21 Murray St.
1:00 PM
Murray St.
4:30 PM
May. 22 Murray St.
1:00 PM
