COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagle baseball team will host the Penguins of Youngstown State in a three-day, three-game series spanning this coming weekend.
The Penguins are 1-8 thus far on the season, having notched their first win of the year on Cincinnati, 2-1, in game two of last weekend’s three-game series on the road. The team went 1-2 on the series, but was swept in both series’ prior, falling to East Carolina and the College of Charleston.
Tech is coming off of a shortened trip to UNC-Charlotte, where inclement weather allowed for only one game of the originally planned two-game series to be played. The game, which was played on March 8, ended in an 8-1 victory for the 49ers, dropping TTU’s record to 4-9 on the season.
They’ll look to sophomore righty Tristan Archer to for the momentum to bounce back this weekend, as Archer will take the hill in Friday afternoon’s 3 p.m. contest. With a 3.74 ERA and 2-1 record, Archer has made three starts and four appearances this year, striking out 17 in 21.2 innings of work.
Youngstown will throw Robert Switka in Friday’s game. Switka is 0-3 on the season, having made three starts and pitched 11.1 innings. He has allowed 18 runs on 21 hits for an ERA of 11.91, and has struck out seven.
Saturday’s 2 p.m. match-up will feature Matt Shepherd for the Golden Eagles. Shepherd is 0-2 on the season but maintains a 3.60 ERA in 12.1 innings, and has notched 10 strikeouts. Youngstown will throw stud pitcher Kevin McCulloh, who’s garnered a 1-1 record and a 2.70 ERA in 16.2 innings, having recorded 16 Ks.
Sunday’s 1 p.m. finale will start with Chad Oberacker on the mound for Tech, while Phil Klein will take the hill in the bottom half of the innings for YSU. Klein is 0-3 on the year and has a 12.08 ERA, but has notched 14 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. Oberacker, who has been filling the role as designated hitter and pitcher in the weekend rotation, has hurled 12.1 innings for Tech, striking out 10 and maintaining an ERA of 3.65.
Fans who can’t make it out to Bush Stadium for this weekend’s series can follow the LiveStats here.
