By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
OXFORD, Ala. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team (25-9, 13-2) suffered its first Ohio Valley Conference series loss of the season Sunday afternoon, falling to Jacksonville State (17-12, 6-6), in the series rubber match, 8-3, at Choccolocco Park.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a lead in the third inning of the contest, thanks to a solo home run from sophomore center field Alex Junior, his second long ball of the weekend and third of the season.
Tech doubled that advantage in the fourth as junior designated hitter Ryan Flick blasted his own solo jack job to left field. It marked his third dinger of the series and 10th of the year, tying his career-high mark.
Jacksonville State evened things in the bottom of the frame, snagging runs on back-to-back ground outs for a 2-2 tie. The home team then took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, collecting a one-out grand slam off the bat of Trent Simpson.
Sophomore right fielder Kevin Strohschein got one back for the Golden Eagles in the sixth, crushing his eighth moon shot of the year down the left field line. The Gamecocks quickly answered, however, scoring twice in the bottom half of the inning to take an 8-3 lead that would stand the rest of the way.
Flick had an impressive day at plate, finishing 4-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Travis Moths tossed two and two thirds scoreless innings in the contest, holding the Gamecocks to two hits and no walks while striking out three batters.
The Golden Eagles will return to action Tuesday evening, making a visit to Nashville for a 6:30 p.m. CT match-up with in-state foe Vanderbilt.
Photo by Tony Marable