By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Early offense and great pitching was key to yet another victory for the No. 21 Tennessee Tech baseball team Tuesday evening, as the Golden Eagles (30-5) extended the nation's longest winning streak to 21 games with a 10-1 victory at Western Kentucky (17-19).
Easily off to the best start in program history, the Tech squad got a fast start from its powerful offense. The Golden Eagles plated three runs in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from senior Chase Chambers and an RBI double down the right field line from junior John Ham.
Sophomore hurler Nic Dye turned in another gem on the hill, flinging five and two thirds inning while allowing just a single run on five hits and a pair of walks. The southpaw struck out a career-high eight Hilltoppers in the contest while moving to 4-1 on the season.
Dye received some added breathing room in the fifth inning from his bats, thanks to a pair of RBI ground outs by senior Trevor Putzig and Chambers.
In the sixth, senior shortstop David Garza added to the lead with a solo blast to right center field, his eighth of the year. After leading off the eighth with a double, he came around to score on a follow-up double by junior Nick Osborne.
Leading 7-1 in the ninth, Garza put a capper on the night with his second long ball of the game to left center field. His ninth home run of the season drove in three more runs, providing the Tech veteran with five RBI on the day.
Tyler Sylvester and Zack Wilcox combined to finish the final three and on third innings, neither allowing a hit or walk. Sylvester relieved Dye in the sixth with two men on and forced a pop fly to end the frame. He then tossed two more innings with two strikeouts. Wilcox needed just 13 pitches to run through three hitters in the ninth.
The Golden Eagles will wrap up their five-game road swing with a trip back down to Huntsville, Ala. and a match-up with Alabama A&M on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.
Photo by Steve Roberts, WKU Athletics