By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team will get its first chance at a midweek rematch Tuesday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles (10-16) play host to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs (13-14) in a reboot of last week's tilt in North Carolina.
First pitch is set for a 4:15 p.m. CT start with a special pregame presentation to kick things off at 4 p.m. The Tennessee Tech Army ROTC will officially open its newly built rappel tower, located next to the Tech bullpen in left field, with TTU President Dr. Philip Oldham taking honors as the first to rappel from the 42-foot tower.
President Oldham will throw the game ball for the contest from the top of the tower to Tech's left fielder who will then toss it to third base. The third baseman will present the ball to Cadet Robert Hibbet who will toss the first pitch. President Oldham will then rappel from the tower with Awesome Eagle providing belay support.
The contest also marks the first webstream of a Tennessee Tech baseball game this season due to weather complications earlier in the season. The game can be viewed on the OVC Digital Network with streaming being conducted by the Golden Eagle Sports Network.
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Tennessee Tech vs. UNC Asheville |
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| Mar. 31, 2015 | Cookeville, Tenn. | Bush Stadium (1,100) | |
| TUE. | 4:15 P.M. | |
| Possible Starters: | |
| TTU - RHP Will Gardner 0-2, 9.00 ERA, 14.0 IP, 11 K |
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| UNCA - LHP Jordan Fulbright 4-0, 3.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 10 K |
SERIES INFO
Dates: Mar. 31, 2015
Times: 4:15 PM CT
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Stadium: Bush Stadium
Radio: None
TV: None
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: UNCA leads, 11-6
Bragga vs: 2-4
First Meeting: Unknown
Last Meeting: March 24, 2015
MULTIMEDIA
Live Stats: Tuesday
Audio: None
Video: OVC Digital Network
Twitter Updates: @TNTech_Baseball
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2015 Record: 10-16
2015 OVC Record: 4-8 (T-8th)
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
Career: 305-322-2 (12th season)
TTU: 305-322-2 (12th season)
STAT LEADERS
AVG: Dylan Bosheers (.357)
2B: Ryan Flick (9)
HR: Bosheers (5)
RBI: Flick (28)
SB: Bosheers/Matt Cunningham/Anthony El Chibani (3)
UNC ASHEVILLE BULLDOGS
2015 Record: 13-14
2015 Big South Record: 3-6 (9th)
Head Coach: Scott Friedholm
Career: 13-14-0 (1st season)
UNCA: 13-14-0 (1st season)
STAT LEADERS
AVG: Joe Tietjen/Joe Zayatz (.333)
2B: Tietjen (7)
HR: Hunter Bryant (5)
RBI: Bryant (16)
SB: Tietjen/Kyle Towles (3)
BACK IN THE MIX
After missing the first three games of his lengthy career due to injury, All-American Dylan Bosheers returned for Tech's three-game series at Austin Peay last Friday, seemingly never missing a beat from before his injury. The senior batted .385 over the weekend, scoring five runs while also crushing his team-best fifth home run of the year.
Also back from injury this weekend was outfielder Tyler Brazelton. The sophomore, who missed nearly two weeks with an ankle injury, was a beast for the Golden Eagles. Brazelton managed a .455 batting average with slugging and on base percentages of .636 and .600, respectively.
FRESHMAN FOCUS
Freshman Chase Chambers ranks fourth on the TTU squad with a .286 average. He has drawn a team-high 14 walks and tallied a .573 slugging percentage and .405 on base percentage this season. The first baseman also ranks third on the squad with 17 RBI.
Fellow freshman Ryan Flick, Tech's designated hitter, has also been a huge boon to the offense. Number 11 leads the Golden Eagles with 28 RBI on the year, thanks to a slugging percentage of .505 and 13 extra base hits. He ranks second on the squad with four home runs.
DOWN MAYBE, BUT NEVER OUT
If there's been anything to learn about this year's version of the Golden Eagles, it's that you can knock them down, but don't you dare count them out. In 26 games this season, Tech has mounted four come-from-behind victories when trailing in the fifth inning or later.
In the second game of the year, the Golden Eagles headed into the bottom of the ninth, trailing 7-2 to a feisty Longwood squad. Six runs later, Tech walked off with its first victory of the year. A week later, the squad found itself trailing to a dangerous Davidson team in the fifth by two runs. Tech tied it in the bottom half before the flood gates opened up with an eight-run sixth for a 12-5 win.
Just last week, Morehead State mounted its own rally, taking a two-run lead in the top of the sixth while looking for a series sweep. Two quick runs in the bottom half of the frame led to an exhilarating 9-8, walk-off W in the ninth.
And last time out, the Golden Eagles looked sure to be done in the fifth, trailing in-state rival Lipscomb by six runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The Golden Eagles proved they don't care, dropping a seven-spot to take the lead for good in an unreal 12-8 victory.
MR. 300
With a 14-2 win over Northern Illinois on Feb. 28, head coach Matt Bragga earned his 300th career victory, just the second coach in program history to accomplish the feat. He currently ranks second to Hall of Fame coach David Mays in total wins.
Photo by Jim Dillon