By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It was a tough one for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Wednesday evening, as the Golden Eagles (10-13) fell at Bush Stadium at the hands of Alabama A&M (16-10). The Bulldogs used two big early innings to grab a 9-5 victory over the hosts.
The Golden Eagles actually took the first lead of the game, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first thanks to a miscue by the Bulldogs. Alabama A&M answered in the second, however, tallying three markers in the top half, including one unearned.
The Bulldogs doubled their lead in the third, putting up a four-spot off of five hits and one error. With a 7-1 deficit staring them down, Tech started a rally that would come up short, beginning with a run in the bottom of the third. Freshman Chase Chambers used a two-out double to left center field to set up fellow freshman slugger Ryan Flick for an RBI. Flick drove in his 24th run of the season with a single to left center field before the end of the inning.
With a runner on first to start the bottom of the fourth, junior Josh Pankratz delivered for the Tech squad, hammering a triple to right center field for an RBI. Andrew Contreras drove in Pankratz while grounding out to second base, cutting the deficit to just 7-4.
Each side traded runs in the sixth, with Matt Cunningham lacing a two-out triple to left center field before David Allen drove in the freshman with a single up the middle.
Alabama A&M shut down the Tech attack over the final three innings, grabbing an insurance run in the top of the ninth before finishing things off for the 9-5 victory.
Chambers, Pankratz and Cunningham each tallied two hits on the night to lead the Golden Eagle offense while Justen Folger and Patrick Dodson led the Bulldogs with three hits apiece.
Senior reliever Cain Sloan had a chance at Golden Eagles history in the seventh, striking out the first three batters of the inning. With one of the batters reaching first on a passed ball, Sloan was offered the opportunity to register his fourth strikeout of the inning. The right-hander would eventually settle for a ground out to first base, but did finish two innings of work with five Ks and just one hit surrendered.
Ben Fritz picked up his first collegiate victory in the contest for the Bulldogs, tossing two innings of relief while allowing just one earned run.
The Golden Eagles will head back on the road for a three-game, Ohio Valley Conference set at Austin Peay this weekend, kicking off the action with a 6 p.m. contest on Friday evening.
Photo by Jim Dillon