By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The birth of one career and resurgence of another proved to be just enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to cap the 2016 opener in style Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles overcame multiple deficits to take home a thrilling, 13-12 walk-off victory over Western Illinois.
Jake Rowland's two-run single through the right side ended a drama-filled affair that began with an almost literal bang from one of the newest faces of the Tech program.
In his first collegiate at bat, freshman outfielder Kevin Strohschein stepped to the plate with the bases juiced and just one out on the scoreboard. A walk to Rowland, sandwiched between singles from Tyler Brazelton and Chase Chambers, set up the freshman for a once-in-lifetime moment. After patiently watching three pitches cross the plate, the rookie found the offering he liked, cocked back, and announced his presence to the college baseball world with a thundering boom, hammering a grand slam to right field and giving Tech an instant 4-0 lead.
With the long ball, Strohschein became the first freshman in program history to record a grand slam in his first career at bat.
After surrendering the mammoth shot, Western Illinois starter Preston Church really dialed himself in, allowing just one hit over the next five innings and striking out eight Tech batters in the same span. With the Tech offense bottled up heading into the seventh, the Leatherneck bats flipped the bill, using a five-run third inning to take over the lead. They added a single marker in the top of the sixth, heading to the bottom half up 6-4.
Tech wasted no time getting back on track, collecting a first-pitch single from catcher Chris Brown to kick things off. Church racked up his ninth K of the night to post the first out of the frame. It would turn out to be his last of the game. Pinch-hitting for his first career at bat in the purple and gold, third baseman Matt Jones chunked a little flair that dropped in right field, advancing Brown a base.
Senior second baseman Jake Farr followed that up with a single of his own to right field, loading the bases for the second time in the game, only this time for Brazelton. The junior smashed a ball to right center field for a sacrifice fly and RBI, trimming the WIU advantage to one.
Next to step into the batter's box for the Golden Eagles, Rowland worked a 2-2 count before hitting a high chopper to third base. The Leatherneck infielder muffed the ball initially, but things went haywire when he tried to make a rushed throw, sending one past his first baseman that allowed both Jones and Farr to dent the plate and retake the lead for the home team.
Two batters later, Strohschein stepped up again, ripping a double to right center field to record his fifth RBI of the game and send the Golden Eagles into the top of the eighth with an 8-6 lead.
Refusing to go down without a fight, Western Illinois answered loudly, smacking three straight hits to open the frame, including a single, two-run home run and triple down the third-base line. Tech managed to record two outs in succession, but not without the runner at third touching up home to retake the lead for the visitors. And they weren't finished.
The Leathernecks took advantage of a five-pitch walk to the next batter to set up their next scoring opportunity. A double to right center plated one before a towering, two-run shot to right center provided what seemed to be a safe, four-run advantage with just one and half to play.
Wrong idea.
Tech immediately returned the favor in the bottom half, starting with none other than Brown. The junior earned a walk this time and once again, Jones followed two batters later with a single, this time to left field. A Jake Farr ground ball to third base all but closed the door on the Tech comeback bid, but the WIU infielder had trouble with the transfer and misfired a throw to second base while trying to turn a double play.
The errant toss loaded the bases for Brazelton for the second straight inning, and if there was ever any doubt, the outfielder delivered with a clutch single up the middle that drove in one. More defensive woes plagued the Leatherneck's chances at closing out the game, as Rowland hit a chopper to second base. The WIU infielder watched as the ball bounced in and out of his glove while trying to turn a double play, allowing another Tech runner to score and keep the bases loaded.
Chase Chambers took his turn at the dish in a dangerous spot for both sides. And of course, the newly svelte sophomore worked himself into a full count. With the money pitch on its way, the first baseman calmly watched as the ball came in just too high and outside, garnering a well-earned RBI and move Tech to within one of the lead.
Strohschein surely had big moment dreams as he stepped to the dish with the bases loaded yet again, looking to duplicate his first career at bat. He would sadly walk back to the dugout after watching a frustratingly low strike call end his time in the box for a punchout. Western Illinois closer Aaron Michel, who had entered the game just before the error, then closed the frame with his second straight strike out.
All hope was not lost however as the Golden Eagles still had one more shot at completing the rally.
Senior reliever Kyle Godwin, who tallied the final out of the top of the eighth with a strikeout, marched back out to the hill in the ninth, making quick work of the Leathernecks with two more K jobs and a ground out.
Western Illinois looked strong out of the gate as Michel recorded the first out of the frame on his first delivery, forcing Brown to fly out to third base. New Tech shortstop David Garza battled to keep his team afloat in the next at bat, working the count full before taking a fastball right between the shoulder blades. The warrior gladly took his free base with a smile as Matt Jones took his turn in the box.
One final time, a Leatherneck miscue in the infield breathed life into the Golden Eagles, as a throwing error from third base allowed Jones to arrive safely at first and Garza sneak into second. Michel did manage the second out of the inning, forcing Farr to ground into a fielder's choice to the second baseman. The senior just beat the throw at first, however, allowing Garza to reach third, and keep Tech alive for at least one more at bat.
Brazelton tortured the Golden Eagle fan base of over 250 in his subsequent plate appearance, watching one pitch miss its mark. Then a swing a miss. Then another ball. And another. One more swing without contact. Just like that, Tech had worked another full count in a huge moment. Michel delivered and Brazelton gladly watched as the ball arrived just too high to be the third strike. He took his freebie and turned to watch as teammate Jake Rowland approached the batter's box for a moment he had been waiting for for over a year.
After missing the entire 2015 campaign with an injury, Rowland took his place next to home plate, finally back in the environment he belonged. He took a nice hack at Michel's first offering, fouling it off towards the Tech dugout. He then watched a called strike that nearly silenced the crowd in fear for the next pitch. Michel reared back, delivered, and... ball. Just like that, all of Bush Stadium, as well as both dugouts, were forced to gather themselves and hold their collective breaths one more time as Michel's prepared his next pitch.
This time, Rowland wasn't watching. He saw enough to like his chance, torching a ground ball towards the WIU second baseman. Even with a decent position, the fielder never stood a chance as the screaming two-hopper took a Quillen Field bounce, popped up and over his shoulder and kept on running into right center field. Garza scored without a moment's hesitation, and with the ball losing just enough momentum while rolling through the outfield grass, Farr rounded third and slid in easily to notch the 13th Golden Eagle run of the night and cap an opening day for the history books.
Naturally, Rowland was mobbed by his teammates during what had to be an extra, special moment for the redshirt junior. In his first game in Bush Stadium since 2014, the outfielder finished 1-for-5, but accounted for two runs and three RBI, not to mention the game-tying and winning runs.
Strohschein capped a memorable first day on the diamond with a 2-for-5 showing, leading all players with five RBI and the best way to kick off a career there can be.
Brazelton walked away with two RBI on a 2-for-4 showing while Chambers tallied an RBI thanks to two walks and a 1-for-3 performance at the plate.
Godwin took home the victory after shutting down the Western Illinois offense at the most crucial moment.
The Golden Eagles will continue, and wrap up, the three-game series Saturday afternoon with some doubleheader action against the Leathernecks. Game one on the day is set for a 1 p.m. CST start with the second contest to follow shortly after the conclusion of the first. Fans are encouraged to check TTUSports.com and Twitter often throughout the year for updates on game times, as well as news and other great information.
Photo by Zack Carter, Golden Eagle Sports Network
