By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – A pitcher's duel early, the Tennessee Tech baseball team fell at the hands of College of Charleston Sunday afternoon, as the Cougars (12-14) pulled away late from the Golden Eagles (11-14) at the Ballpark at Patriots Point, winning 8-0.
Junior hurler Tyler Sylvester carried the Tech side through the first five innings, limiting Charleston to just four hits and two earned runs on the day. He struck out three batters in the contest, as both sides traded zeroes on the scoreboard through the first three frames.
The Cougars finally broke through in the fourth, plating a solo run with an RBI double. The home squad doubled its lead in the sixth, chasing Sylvester after a leadoff double and hit-by-pitch. Charleston would later score in the innings on a sacrifice fly ball to center field.
Charleston blew the game open in the eighth, gathering a grand slam and two-run home run with two out, taking an 8-0 lead that would stand through the end of the contest.
The purple and gold racked up eight hits in the contest but struggled to string them together, gathering no more than one hit in any single inning.
Third baseman Gabe Lacy led the way for Tech with a pair of hits, including a double, in three trips to the plate. Six other Golden Eagles recorded a hit on the day, with Roberts collecting his 10th double of the year.
Tech will remain on the road for competition next week, returning to Ohio Valley Conference play with a three-game series at Southeast Missouri. Play will begin with a solo contest on Friday, Apr. 16 at 5:00 p.m. CT. The series will wrap up with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
File photo by Robert Smith, APSU Athletics