By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The bats struck early and the pitching was spectacular throughout the day for the Tennessee Tech baseball team, as the Golden Eagles (8-6, 4-2) won their second-straight Ohio Valley Conference series to open the year with a 9-1 victory over Eastern Illinois (10-9, 2-4) Sunday afternoon.
The purple and gold wasted no time going to work offensively, with second baseman Brett Roberts driving in an early marker with an RBI ground out to shortstop after Cody Littlejohn and Ed Johnson each reached. Junior right fielder Jason Hinchman followed two pitches later with an RBI single to his counterpart on the Panthers.
True freshman Hayden Gilliland and returning freshman Luke Jones each found their way on to load the bases for John Dyer. The first baseman produced with a sacrifice fly to right-center field, giving Tech a 3-0 lead and chasing EIU starter Hayden Birdsong (0-4) from the game with just two outs in the frame.
In the second, Roberts continued his big day with an RBI single to left field. Golden Eagle starter Jonny Hickman took the early advantage and ran with it, tossing four shutout innings before exiting in the fifth with no outs. He scattered six hits with just one run allowed and five strikeouts. Jacob Parham claimed the first two outs of the frame before giving way to Alex Hursey.
The redshirt senior veteran, who was a key member of the last Tech squad to open with back-to-back OVC-series wins in 2018, came up clutch with runners on second and third, punching out the Panther batter to end the threat.
The Golden Eagles rewarded the southpaw with a little more breathing room on the scoreboard in the bottom half. At it again was Roberts, who opened the frame with a single to left field. He promptly stole second and, after an EIU pitching change, swiped third as well.
Gilliland drew a four-pitch walk, with Roberts denting home plate on the fourth offering that went into the dirt and all the way to the backstop. Jones scored the second run of the frame, reaching on a fielder's choice and crossing the plate on a throwing error by the Panthers on an infield single to third base by John Dyer.
With a fresh, five-run lead in his pocket, Hursey (1-2) went to work, covering the final four innings of the ball game with nearly flawless work. He held the Panthers to just two hits the rest of the way, striking out six to earn his first victory of the season.
For good measure, Tech added three more runs to its tally in the eighth, with Littlejohn and Johnson reaching on back-to-back walks to open the inning. A wild pitch advanced both up a base, setting up Roberts for a sacrifice fly to right field. Johnson moved up to third, allowing Hinchman to repeat the effort with a sac fly of his own to center field.
Catcher Will Long turned in the loudest run of the day, working a five-pitch at-bat before clobbering an offering to left field. He sent a towering blast well over the fence for his second long ball of the season a 9-1 lead for his team.
On the day, Roberts led the charge with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate with three driven in. Hinchman drove in a pair and scored once with a hit while Johnson collected two more knocks and three runs scored. Littlejohn reached three times and scored twice thanks to a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch. Jones walked two times in the contest and gathered a hit while scoring a run.
The Golden Eagles will stay at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex for a midweek clash with in-state foe Belmont in a contest that does not count toward OVC play. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. CT in Cookeville.
Photo by Jim Dillon
