By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
MOREHEAD, Ky. – It's hard to pinpoint exactly which side of the Tennessee Tech baseball team enjoyed more success Friday afternoon, the bats or the pitching. Either way, the Golden Eagle squad performed at its best as a team, taking the first of a three-game series at Morehead State in a 15-0 romping.
The offense set the tone early for the Tech team, as redshirt sophomore Jake Rowland took the seventh pitch of the game deep down the right field line for his second home run in two games. His long ball proved to be all the Golden Eagles would need, however, as starter David Hess and reliever John Gora combined to shutout the Eagles.
But sometimes when it rains it pours, and in the case of the Tech offense it was a monsoon over the final eight innings.
Tech grabbed a second run in the top of the second, using an RBI single off the bat of second baseman Zach Zarzour to double the lead to 2-0.
The Golden Eagles then doubled that lead in the third thanks to a moonshot by shortstop Dylan Bosheers. The junior took the first pitch he saw in the inning deep over the center field wall to propel the Tech advantage to 4-0.
It took a whole inning before the Golden Eagles would add to it scoring effort again as Morehead State finally held Tech off the scoreboard, blanking them in the fourth.
Bosheers quickly altered any comeback plans the Eagles may have had, however, cranking his second dinger of the day to left center field. He drove in three runs with the long ball, extending Tech's lead up to 7-0, essentially putting it out of reach for Morehead State.
And then Tech really got rolling. In the top of the sixth, the Golden Eagles accounted for five more runs, taking its lead from Daniel Miles. The third baseman drove in the second two scores of the inning, driving a single to right center field. Right fielder Brandon Thomasson followed almost immediately, crushing a two-run shot to center field on the second pitch he saw. With that Tech had grabbed a 12-0 lead. But the team wasn't quite finished.
With the game already essentially under wraps, the Golden Eagles continued playing their game in the ninth, scraping across three more runs thanks to a sac fly from Rowland, and RBI singles from Zarzour and Miles.
As for the Tech pitching, there wasn't much more a fan could ask for. Making his second consecutive Friday start, David Hess was spectacular over seven innings of work, scattering five hits while allowing just one walk and shutting out the Morehead State offense. The junior also struck out six in the game, bringing his total for the year up to 32.
Hess garnered his fourth victory of the season, lowering his ERA to a mere 1.12 over 32 innings pitched. It marks the third career shutout that Hess has been a part of with the Golden Eagles.
John Gora covered the final two innings for Tech, allowing just one hit, to the first batter, before retiring the next six in order.
For the game, Bosheers came out on top, going 2-for-5 with two home runs and a game-high five RBI. Miles tallied a 3-for-6 day, driving in three runs while scoring two more himself. Thomasson, Rowland, and Zarzour all drove in two runs apiece. Zarzour went 2-for-5 with a run scored, Thomasson 3-for-4 with three runs scored, and Rowland 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
Tech will look for the series win Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles will take on Morehead State in double header action with Game No. 1 set for a 1 p.m. CT first pitch. Freshman Evan Fraliex will make the first start with junior Chris Chism taking the hill in the second game.