By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Editor's note: Tomorrow's game time has been changed from a 1 p.m. CT start to 2 p.m.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A feverish rally came up just short for the Tennessee Tech baseball team (5-6, 0-1) Saturday night, as the Golden Eagles fell to Morehead State (7-3, 1-0) in their Ohio Valley Conference opener, 7-5.
Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Golden Eagles looked to give one final shove towards extra innings, or even better, a victory. After a quick out, second baseman Jake Farr worked a full count before lacing a double to left center field.
Morehead State closer Craig Pearcy, who picked up his fourth save of the year on the night, managed to get the next Tech batter out, leaving senior All-American Dylan Bosheers as his final foe. The native of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., who made his season debut at shortstop after playing second in the first 10 games of the year while regaining arm strength from an offseason injury, refused to go down and be the final out, drawing a five-pitch walk.
Freshman Ryan Flick came to the plate with a chance to tie things up, but was forced to fly out to center field to end the game.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 3-0 lead over the first three innings, collecting single runs in each frame behind timely hitting. Tech rallied back, however, plating a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Anthony El Chibani.
Bosheers followed his teammate's lead one inning later, hammering his second home run of the season to deep left center field. The two-run shot knotted things at 3-3 headed to the sixth inning.
Morehead State snagged three more runs in the seventh inning, looking to blow the game wide open with a 6-3 advantage, but the Golden Eagles answered the call in the bottom half. With two outs and two runners on, Flick approached the plate and just barely missed out on tying the game, crushing a two-run double off the wall down the left field line.
Reliever Aaron Leasher picked up his first win of the season, tossing one and two thirds innings with just one hit allowed. Chris Robinson scored four runs on the day while Kane Sweeney and Brandon Rawe each managed two RBI apiece. Sweeney also finished with three hits.
For the Golden Eagles, Bosheers and Flick each totaled two RBI on the day to lead the team. Bosheers finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks while David Allen scored twice as well. Freshman Chase Chambers, senior Jordan Hopkins and El Chibani each recorded two hits each on the night.
The Tech squad will return to the field for the second game of its OVC opening series Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. CT. Evan Fraliex will take the hill, facing off against Luke Humphreys.
Photo by Jim Dillon
