By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A fantastic pitching effort from three visiting arms prevented the Tennessee Tech baseball team from taking a three-game Ohio Valley Conference sweep over Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon, as the Redhawks (32-15, 21-6) defeated the Golden Eagles (25-20, 12-12) by a final score of 7-1 at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Southeast Missouri showed just why it entered the series as the league's top-ranked team, plating two runs in the top of the first and promptly handing the contest over to starter Robert Beltran. The southpaw tossed six innings on the day, scattering four hits and three walks while holding the Golden Eagles to one earned run. He also struck out 10 batters while picking up his seventh victory of the season.
Tech starter Nick Osborne battled well in what would turn out to be an early pitcher's duel, rallying from a first-inning home run surrendered to Garrett Gandolfo to shut down the SEMO offense over the next four frames. Before exiting with two outs in the sixth frame, the freshman allowed one more home run, a leadoff solo shot to Chris Osborne.
Osborne battled to the tune of allowing just four hits and three earned runs over five and two thirds innings. He also fanned five Redhawk batters while tossing 102 pitches, his highest pitch count of the year.
The Golden Eagles cut the SEMO lead to just one in the bottom of the fourth inning, using an RBI single through the left side off the bat of David Garza. It would be the closest the team would get as Beltran, as well as relievers Jake Busiek and Justin Murphy, kept the Tech offense at bay the rest of the way.
Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles already wrapped up the series victory with wins in the first games of the weekend, a 7-2 decision Friday night and 4-3 final Saturday afternoon.
True freshman Kevin Strohschein saw his run at NCAA history come to an end in the bottom of the fifth inning after a sliding catch down the left field by Gandolfo robbed the youngster of a sure double. The rookie had posted nine consecutive hits, after going 4-for-4 in each of the team's first two games of the series, as well as ripping a double in the first inning and drawing a walk to leadoff the fourth frame on Sunday. The right fielder fell just five more hits from tying the NCAA mark for consecutive hits of 14.
Tech will now focus on a midweek meeting with in-state rival Lipscomb in Nashville Tuesday evening. First pitch is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT start.
Photo by Tony Marable
