By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A world class effort on the hill, as well as yet another dominant showing at the plate from the league's most dangerous rookie, propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to an impressive, 7-2 victory over the Ohio Valley Conference leading Southeast Missouri Redhawks Friday evening.
In a match-up of each team's ace, it wasn't the nation's leader in strikeouts that stole the show on the night, but rather a right hander from Olalla, Wash. that saved his best performance of the season for the perfect moment. Michael Wood outdueled SEMO's Joey Lucchesi, the league's reigning Pitcher of the Year, leading the Golden Eagles (24-19, 11-11) to the five-run win over the Redhawks (31-14, 20-5).
The junior completed seven and one third innings, his longest outing of the year, while holding the visitors to just four hits and one earned run. Wood also set a career-high with nine strikeouts on the night with only two walks. The victory marked the hurler's fourth of the year and the longest outing of his season as well as he amassed a whopping 124 pitches.
Southeast Missouri grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, gathering a leadoff double from second baseman Trevor Ezell. Some small ball paid off as a sacrifice bunt from Dan Holst moved Ezell down to third before a ground ball to third base by Branden Boggetto drove in the first mark of the game.
It was the most damage the visiting squad would muster against the Tech starter, as Wood shut down the SEMO offense well into the eighth inning.
As for the Golden Eagle offense, it didn't take long to make up the run surrendered in the first, getting to Lucchesi right out of the gate by forcing the star southpaw into a leadoff walk to redshirt freshman Alex Junior. The left hander managed two quick outs before freshman sensation Kevin Strohschein kicked off his sensational night.
With a 1-2 count, the youngster ripped a single through the left side to keep the inning alive. A Redhawk error prolonged the inning and allowed Chris Brown to reach base safely, setting up Trevor Putzig for a big time hit. The sophomore infielder ripped the third pitch he saw down the right field line for an RBI double and the tying run early.
Lucchesi seemed to have solved the Golden Eagle lineup in the second, striking out the side for three of his 10 punch outs on the night. Unfortunately for the league's top pitcher, the Tech offense came back to life in the third thanks again to the bat of Strohschein and a disciplined effort from several bats.
Senior Josh Pankratz worked a full count before smacking a leadoff single through the left side. Junior followed with a bunt single up the first base line, setting up senior Jake Farr for a sac bunt. A second miscue from the Redhawk defense allowed Farr to reach safely, however, setting up Strohschein with a bases-loaded opportunity.
Before the freshman could take a chance at smacking what could have been a school-record fourth grand slam on the season, a wild pitch allowed Pankratz to cross the plate for the team's first lead in the contest. Strohschein still made the Redhawks pay during his at bat anyway though, ripping a double to right center field for two more Tech runs and a 4-1 lead.
The right fielder struck again in the fifth, only this time he truly put on a "Stroh Show." After a leadoff single off the outstretched glove of SEMO's shortstop from Farr, Strohschein blasted the first pitch Lucchesi offered clear over the Quillen Field sign in left field.
And the slugger still wasn't done on the evening. In the seventh, he finished a perfect 4-for-4 night at the plate by clubbing his second long ball of the night deep to left center field, giving the Golden Eagles a 7-1 advantage. It marked Strohschein's 12th tater of the season and represented his league-leading 63rd RBI of the year, both extending his own program rookie records.
Southeast Missouri managed to snag one more run in the top of the ninth off a solo home run from Daniel Costello, but junior reliever Kit Fowler recovered to end the game and finish off the final one and two thirds innings of work.
The two teams will square off in game two of the series Saturday afternoon in a tilt scheduled for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch.
Photo by Tony Marable
