COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - With the Tennessee Tech baseball team (30-12,
17-5) looking to make a statement after losing its first series of
the season last weekend, Tristan
Archer (7-3) lived up to his title as the Golden Eagle ace,
throwing 8.2 innings of two-hit ball to lead Tech to a 4-1 win over
rival Murray State (17-24, 6-13).
The senior right-hander, who already owns a complete-game shutout this season, just missed out on his second, giving up the only run of the contest with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. Archer was lights out, retiring 21 consecutive Murray State batters after allowing a lead-off hit to start the game. He finished with 10 strikeouts in the contest, marking the second time this season he has recorded double-digit Ks.
The Golden Eagles collected just four hits in the contest, but were able to make those hits count and take advantage of a couple of Murray State miscues to score four runs and win the first of an important Ohio Valley Conference, three-game series.
Dylan Bosheers led the Tech offense, grabbing two of the team's four hits and scoring two runs as well. Daniel Miles and James Abraham put up the other two Golden Eagle hits, each recording one RBI apiece.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Golden Eagles used a Dylan Bosheers hit to set up their first run of the game. Bosheers advanced to second on a fielder's choice and error by Murray State pitcher Cameron Finch (4-3). Michael Morris and Bosheers advanced to second and third base, respectively, after a wild pitch. Abraham finished off the scoring chance, grounding out to short and driving in Bosheers.
Tech put two more runs on the board in the fourth inning, beginning with a lead-off walk by Brandon Thomasson. Miles followed with a triple over the center fielder's head, driving in Thomasson to double the Tech lead to 2-0. Morris added the last run after driving a sac fly out to right field, allowing Miles to score. The Golden Eagles added one more run in the sixth off an error by third baseman Brandon Elliott.
Sophomore closer Seth Lucio didn't have to do too much for his 10th save of the season as he needed just six pitches to put an end to the game, striking out Murray State first baseman Mike Kozlowski. The save put Lucio just two away from tying the Golden Eagle career record of 12 saves.
The 4-0 victory marks the 30th win of the season for the Golden Eagles, marking just the seventh time in program history that a team has hit the 30-win threshold. Head coach Matt Bragga has had the honor of coaching four of those teams as his 2013 squad joins the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Tech teams in the 30-win club. The other three teams to hit the 30-win mark in Tech history were former head coach Aaron Carroll's 2001 squad and former head coach David Mays' 1988 and 1997 teams.
With impending rain and poor weather looming for Saturday, the Golden Eagles have moved game two up to noon, hoping to beat out any weather that may make its way through the area. Sophomore Ross Spurgeon (2-2) will look for his third win of the season as he takes on the Thoroughbred's Cashtyn DeLeeuw (3-1).
