By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Timely hitting and a team-wide pitching effort propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to a 9-4 victory over UNC Asheville Tuesday afternoon, the home team's final regular season, non-conference match-up of the 2016 season.
The Golden Eagles (28-22) took an early 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs (16-35) in the bottom of the first inning, using speed and precision to plate the first run of the game. Leadoff man Alex Junior was plunked on the fifth pitch of his team's first at bat, and the speedster wasted little time making the visitors pay for the miscue.
Junior promptly stole second base, his team-leading 11th swipe of the season, to set up senior Jake Farr for a great at bat. After lacing what looked like an RBI double down the right line, the umpires deemed the ball just foul and made the second baseman trudge back to the box where an 0-2 count awaited him. After sawing off the next pitch he saw, Farr connected on a ground ball that found its way through the right side and slowed enough in the wet outfield for Junior to race home for the first run.
The Bulldogs answered in the top of the third frame, plating two on a hit-by-pitch, a walk, two stolen bases and finally, a base hit off the outstretched glove of Farr. The visitor's lead didn't last long however, as the Golden Eagles retaliated quickly in the bottom half.
Senior Josh Pankratz was plunked to leadoff the frame and just five pitches later, so was Junior. Farr drove in his second run of the game with a single to left center field, advancing Junior to third and chasing Bulldog starter Parker Swindell from the contest.
Spencer Orr came on in relief, but two pitches into his stint was all it took for freshman sensation Kevin Strohschein to make the Bulldogs pay for the base runners. The slugger ripped a double to right center field for an RBI, putting two in scoring position and giving the Golden Eagles a 3-2 lead. Two batters later, sophomore Trevor Putzig connected for his own double, this one to left center field. The extra base hit accounted for two RBI and shot the Tech advantage up to 5-2.
The lead would prove enough, although UNC Asheville did come back to dent home plate twice more in the top of the fifth, cutting the home lead to a single run.
Junior Chris Brown added an insurance run with his ninth long ball of the season, cranking a solo shot to right center field in the bottom of the fifth. Two innings later, Strohschein collected his second RBI of the contest with a sacrifice fly to right center field, driving in Pankratz for his second run scored on the day.
An RBI double to left center field off the bat of sophomore Chase Chambers, as well as a sac fly to center field courtesy of fellow sophomore Ryan Flick, provided the final scoring in the affair, equaling a 9-4 victory.
Relievers Kyle Godwin, Marcus Evey and Trevor Maloney combined to close out the final four frames without allowing a run. Godwin earned his fourth win of the season after tossing one and one third innings, allowing no base runners and striking out one. Evey fanned four in two innings of work while surrendering just one hit and Maloney closed out the final frame with one K and just one hit.
Seven different Tech hitters recorded hits on the day, with Farr, Chambers and Flick each posting two apiece. Farr, Putzig and Strohschein each drove in two runs on the day, with Brown, Chambers and Flick each adding one as well. With his Ohio Valley Conference best 68 RBI on the season, Strohschein moved into a tie for sixth place in program history for a single year, matching the effort of current student assistant coach A.J. Kirby-Jones during the 2009 season.
The Golden Eagles will return to Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball complex for their final regular season series of the year Thursday evening, playing host to OVC foe Eastern Kentucky in a do-or-die, three-game series. The will match-up at 6 p.m. CT for a battle for a spot in the OVC Tournament.
Photo by Jim Dillon
