By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team looks to keep its winning mojo rolling into the weekend as the Golden Eagles open a three-game series against Sacred Heart Friday afternoon at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
The series opener on Friday is slated for a 3:00 p.m. CT first pitch while Saturday's contest will feature a 2:00 p.m. start. Rounding out the series on Sunday is a 1:00 p.m. affair at the Quill.
Tech clinched its third straight win in its first road test of the season, picking up a 10-0, seven-inning shutout at Alabama A&M on Tuesday afternoon in Huntsville. The Golden Eagle pitching staff allowed just a single baserunner in the contest while the offense backed the effort with a massive, seven-run inning in the second.
The victory marked the 500th for Tech head coach Matt Bragga in his tenure with the Golden Eagles. He marks just the second TTU baseball leader to make it to 500 wins in the purple and gold, joining Hall of Famer David Mays.
The purple and gold hurlers have been on an absolute tear since last Saturday, allowing just a single, earned run and two runs total over the team's three-game winning streak. Tech's offense has drummed up 23 runs in that span as well, with eight Golden Eagles boasting multiple hits already on the year.
Friday's series opener represents the first-ever meeting between the Golden Eagles and Pioneers.
Sacred Heart makes its second trip south to start the 2024 season after traveling all the way to Thibodaux, La. last weekend for a three-game series with Nicholls State. The Colonels blanked the Pioneers in the opener, 16-0. It was a much closer contest on Saturday, an eventual 5-2 loss by SHU. Nicholls State finished the sweep of Sacred Heart on Sunday with a 19-12 win.
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Current Weekend Schedule
Friday, Feb. 23 | 3:00 p.m. CT | vs. Sacred Heart
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 2:00 p.m. CT | vs. Sacred Heart
Sunday, Feb. 25 | 1:00 p.m. CT | vs. Sacred Heart
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2024 Record: 3-1
2024 OVC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 500-454-2 (18th Season)
Career: 551-530-3 (21st Season)
RETURNING STATS LEADERS
AVG: Nicho Jordan (.500)
2B: Jackson Green (2)
3B: 3 players tied (1)
HR: Mack Whitcomb (1)
RBI: Hayden Gilliland / Mack Whitcomb (4)
R: Preston Steele (4)
BB: Austin Turner (7)
SLG%: Nicho Jordan (.875)
OB%: Nicho Jordan (.692)
SB: Austin Turner (2)
ERA: 8 players tied (0.00)
W: 3 players tied (1)
APP: 12 players tied (1)
IP: Peyton Calitri (7.0)
K: Peyton Calitri / Jack Erdman (4)
BAA: 4 players tied (.000)
SV: Jack Erdman (1)
SACRED HEART PIONEERS
2024 Record: 0-3
2024 NEC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Pat Egan
SHU: 28-33 (4th Season)
Career: Same
RETURNING STATS LEADERS
AVG: Tim McGuire (.333)
2B: Alex Ungar (3)
3B: None
HR: Tim McGuire (1)
RBI: Alex Ungar (6)
R: Alex Ungar (4)
BB: 6 players tied (2)
SLG%: Tim McGuire (.667)
OB%: Tim McGuire (.455)
SB: Alex Ungar (2)
ERA: 4 players tied (0.00)
W: None
APP: 12 players tied (1)
IP: Charlie Costello / Owen MacDonnell (3.1)
K: Owen MacDonnell (4)
BAA: Elijah Foster (.143)
SV: None
Photo by Jim Dillon
