By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
RICHMOND, Ky. – A hard-fought battle ended in heart break for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Thursday evening, as the Golden Eagles (24-26, 15-13) fell in the first of a three-game series against Ohio Valley Conference foe Eastern Kentucky (20-28, 11-16), 5-4, on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th inning.
Most of the scoring actually came very early in the contest, with the hometown Colonels getting off to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The visitors quickly turned the table in the second as the Tech squad answered with a three spot its next opportunity.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Flick drew a leadoff walk on a seven-pitch at bat to kick start the frame and first baseman Chase Chambers followed with a single to right center field. A sacrifice bunt by Josh Pankratz moved the two base runners over, but the Colonels managed to collect its second out on the next batter.
Enter sophomore Tyler Brazelton. The Tech left fielder coaxed a five-pitch free pass, loading the bases with two outs for center fielder David Allen. The senior came through, drilling a clutch, two-run single to right center field to tie things up. After a walk was issued to All-American Dylan Bosheers, second baseman Jake Farr turned a 1-2 count into an RBI walk, "driving in" the go ahead run to make it 3-2 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
Anthony El Chibani extended the Tech advantage in the third inning, doubling to right center field to drive in Pankratz for a 4-2 lead in favor of the Golden Eagles. It wouldn't hold, however, as the Colonels answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to even the scoreboard at 4-4.
Offense was all but extinct from that point on, with no runs finding their way across the plate until the final play of the ball game. Leading off the bottom of the 12th, Taylor Blair took his first chance in the batter's box in the contest, pinch-hitting for pitcher Hunter Dunn. He wasted no time ending the contest, sending the first pitch he saw over the fence for a walk-off home run and a 5-4 Eastern Kentucky victory.
Four Golden Eagles recorded two hits in the contest, including Brazelton, Bosheers, Allen and El Chibani. Chris Chism took a no decision on the night, tossing six innings with seven strikeouts while allowing four earned runs.
Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles remain just one win away from clinching a spot in the OVC tournament next week. Tech will face off with the Colonels in game two of the three-game set tomorrow in a 1 p.m. CT match-up.
Photo by Tony Marable
