Golden Eagles finish sweep of SEMO, stay atop OVC standings

Golden Eagles finish sweep of SEMO, stay atop OVC standings

By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – For the seventh time this season, the Tennessee Tech baseball team wrapped up a series without dropping a contest to its opponent. The Golden Eagles (36-14, 22-5) defeated Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon, 5-1, to finish their most recent sweep after beating the Redhawks (22-30, 13-17) on both Friday and Saturday as well.

The Golden Eagles wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, using a sacrifice fly from junior slugger Zach Stephens to take an early 1-0 lead. Austin Wulf scored next on a wild pitch and gave Tech enough of a lead to win the game in just the first half inning of the game.

In the third, Tech struck again, this time using a little power to put runs on the board. Stephens hit his Ohio Valley Conference leading 13th home run, a solo shot to left field, to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead. Dylan Bosheers would add to the Tech advantage, driving in Brandon Thomasson with an RBI single to right field.

Tech landed on the scoreboard once more, collecting a run in the top of the sixth on a sac fly off the bat of Zach Zarzour.

The Redhawks managed to avoid a shutout, grabbing one run in the bottom of the sixth on a sac fly from Matt Tellor. It would be essentially the only offense they could muster, however, as Tech starter Jacob Honea and closer Seth Lucio combined to allow just three hits on the day.

Honea earned his third win of the season, tossing seven innings of three-hit ball while giving up just one run and striking out five Redhawk batters. Lucio finished the final two innings, setting down three batters on strikes and lowering his season ERA to 0.96.

Stephens led the offense with two RBI while Daniel Miles and Bosheers led the team with two hits apiece.

The win marked the 36th of the season for the Golden Eagles, the second most in a single season in program history. The 2013 squad now trails just David Mays' 1997 team that went 39-23. The win was also the 22nd in conference play for Tech, the second most in a single season in OVC history. Tech moved to a perfect 10-0 on Sundays with the win.

The Golden Eagles will return to action on Tuesday when they welcome in-state rival Lipscomb for a 6 p.m. contest. The game will mark the last non-conference game of the regular season for Tech as the team looks to exact a little revenge after losing to the Bison in Nashville earlier this season.