By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Timely hitting and clutch pitching down the stretch propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to a close, 9-7 victory over Ohio Valley Conference foe Eastern Illinois (0-22, 0-10) Thursday evening, as the Golden Eagles (11-17, 5-8) snapped an eight-game skid behind an overall team effort from top to bottom.
With storms brewing all across the mid-state, the Golden Eagles were able to squeeze their league contest in between spats of inclement weather. Things looked bleak early for the Tech squad, as lightning approaching the area threatened to postpone the start of the contest. The storm dissipated, but Eastern Illinois took an early, 4-0 lead to keep the Golden Eagles on edge.
Tech kept its cool, plating two runners after a quick out in the bottom of the second. After freshman Ryan Flick was plunked by a pitch, fellow freshman Trevor Putzig drew a five-pitch walk to join his teammate on the base paths. Outfielder Anthony El Chibani followed with a single to center field, loading the bases and creating a huge opportunity with just one out.
Already with one grand slam on his resume this season, third baseman Josh Pankratz took his turn at the dish for the Tech squad, nearly tagging his second four-run circus clout of the year. The junior "settled" for a double off the top of the wall in right center fielder, driving in two runs and cutting the Eastern Illinois lead in half.
Sophomore Tyler Brazelton marked the next Golden Eagle on the lineup card, and he delivered in an almost mirror-image performance of Pankratz. The left fielder drove his own double off the outfield wall, only this one was to left center field. The drive drove in two more Tech runs to tie the game at 4-4.
Tech looked to get to a hot start in the third frame, collecting a runner after a leadoff walk by Jordan Hopkins. Flick seemed destined for a single up the middle, hammering a ball that on most occasions would have found its way into the outfield. Some nifty glove work by second baseman Cale Hennemann, who snagged the ball while diving behind second base and flipped the ball to shortstop Marshawn Taylor, froze the Tech attack momentarily.
But there was just no stopping the Golden Eagle bats on the evening.
In the top of the fourth, Eastern Illinois struck again, snagging two runs to recapture the lead. The lead didn't hold for long as senior Chris Chism led off the bottom of the fifth with single up the middle. A walk by Hopkins and single by Flick loaded the bases for the Golden Eagles, bringing up Putzig for a crucial moment in the contest.
The freshman delivered an at-bat that not only sparked the crowd of Tech fans to cheer louder after each pitch, but provided the Golden Eagles with enough momentum to capture a huge victory. Putzig worked a nine-pitch at bat, fouling off five straight offerings, before sending a sacrifice fly ball down the right field line to bring Tech within one run.
After Eastern Illinois starter Garrison Stenger was pulled, reliever Christian Slazinik tossed a wild pitch that brought in the tying run. The Panthers got out of the inning without further damage, but Tech wasn't done.
In their next time at the plate, Tech made sure to grab the lead and hold it for good. After drawing a leadoff walk, Tyler Brazelton sat on first base and watched the Panthers record two straight outs. That's when the Golden Eagles really went to work.
Chambers took a free pass after getting hit by a pitch, setting up Hopkins for the biggest play of the game. With an 0-2 count and two outs staring him in the face, the senior crushed a ball to left center field that bounced off the outstretched glove of a leaping Demetre Taylor, driving in two monumental runs and leading Tech to an 8-6 lead. Flick added an insurance run in the next at bat, driving an RBI single into right field.
EIU did manage to cross one more runner across the plate in the top of the seventh, but Tech starter Chris Chism dug deep and finished off the frame after a long and grueling evening. The senior surrendered seven runs on nine hits on the night, but labored through seven innings on 123 pitches to save the majority of the Golden Eagle pitching staff for other outings in the future. He finished with five strikeouts on the night.
Senior closer Cain Sloan took over for the final two innings of the contest, allowing just one hit along the way. Sloan struck out the first two batters of the ninth, but Brant Valach reached on a wild pitch to bring the tying run to the plate. A quick second out put Tech within reach of victory, but a miscue in the infield led to base runners for the Panthers on first and second with the winning run approaching the plate.
With Bobby Wenthe pinch-hitting in the do-or-die situation, Sloan dug deep, and, on a 3-2 offering, sat down his fourth batter of the game on strikes to collect his first career save.
Brazelton, Hopkins and Pankratz each tallied two RBI in the Tech victory, with Brazelton finishing his first outing in the leadoff spot going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two walks. Flick also went 2-for-3 at the dish, scoring a run and driving in one as well.
The Golden Eagles and Panthers will return to action Friday evening in a 6 p.m. match-up at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex. With inclement weather expected in the area, fans are encouraged to check Twitter often for updates on tomorrow's schedule.
Photo by Tony Marable
