By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Less than a week after exploding for 24 runs in midweek action against Kennesaw State, the Tennessee Tech baseball team ( 15-12) erupted for a new season highlight Tuesday afternoon, tying the program scoring record with a 34-6 victory at Alabama A&M (6-25).
Last Wednesday, the Tech offense lit up like a bonfire on its way to a program-record 18 runs in the fifth inning of a non-conference win over the Owls, with senior Jake Farr tying a school mark with eight RBI. It would turn out to be just a tune-up for what would go down in Huntsville Tuesday afternoon. Off the power of a program-best 26 hits, the Golden Eagles erupted to tie a 67-year-old record with a 34 runs.
The contest featured the most combined runs in a Tech contest in the history of the program, a whopping 40 between the two squads. By defeating the Bulldogs by a mind-blowing 28 runs on the day, the Golden Eagles achieved the second largest margin of victory in school history.
More than just team records came crashing down like a timber in a logging zone, as three individual marks received new owners and another one took on a second name at the top of the list.
Already comfortable with his name among the record books at Tech, freshman Kevin Strohschein kept his raging-hot rookie campaign rolling by adding his moniker to four more individual marks. The right fielder took care of over on third of the team's scoring on the day, driving in a program-record nine runs while tying the school standard with six runs scored.
Strohschein, along with sophomore David Garza, set a new program best by posting six hits apiece in the contest, with the right fielder recording a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the dish with two walks. As if the day wasn't complete enough, Strohschein also became just the second Golden Eagle ever to post three grand slams in a single season, blasting a four-run circus clout in the top of the ninth to join current student assistant coach A.J. Kirby-Jones in Tech lore. Only Matt Ballard, who donned the purple and gold from 1989-1992, cleared a jacked set of bases more in his career, totaling five grand slams in four seasons.
Continuing with the offensive theme, the Golden Eagles scored five or more runs in each of the first four frames, plating five in the first, six in the second, eight in the third and seven more in the fourth. Tech took a two-inning hiatus from the scoreboard before returning for a three-spot in the top of the seventh. Two innings later, they added one more set of five markers, rounding the historic night with an unbelievable 34 runs.
Individually, Strohschein led the way with his 6-for-6 showing, backed by six runs, nine RBI and two walks. Not far behind was a fellow freshman making just his second appearance off the mound, Tuesday's left fielder, Nick Osborne. The rookie utility man finished 3-of-6 at the plate, driving in seven runs while scoring four as well. He also connected for his first career long ball, a three-run bombzini in the top of the seventh inning.
Garza was a beast with the sticks, finishing the day 6-for-7 with two runs scored and five RBI, including his first career grand slam. Garza and Strohschein became the first set of teammates in Tech history to each hit a grand slam in the same contest.
Junior Chris Brown tallied three RBI with three runs scored on two hits before being replaced defensively for some rest. Sophomore Ryan Flick notched a 2-for-5 day with three RBI and two runs scored, as well as two walks.
On the hill, freshman Ty King made his first career start as a pitcher-by-committee sort of day, gathering his first career victory after tossing four innings on the mound. The youngster scatter three hits while allowing just a single earned run and striking out four. Senior Trevor Maloney, junior Jake Usher and freshman Levi Wright each tallied one inning of scoreless ball on the day as well, combining for five strikeouts with just two hits and one walk.
The Golden Eagles will attempt to ride its incredible offensive surge north for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference set at Eastern Illinois, beginning the weekend with a 3 p.m. CT contest Friday afternoon.
Photo by Jim Dillon
