COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Holly Thomas and Callie Schmidt helped guide the Tennessee Tech softball team to a 3-2 record at the 2010 OVC Tournament and were recognized on the OVC All-Tournament Team for their performances.
Thomas, a sophomore pitcher, threw more than 450 pitches over the course of the tournament. She started three of TTU’s five games and pitched 29 of the 37 innings that the Golden Eagles played in the tournament.
For the tournament, Thomas was 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA and 18 strikeouts, while tallying three complete games. She also pitched seven scoreless innings in relief in her other appearance.
Thomas began the tournament with a win as she pitched all nine innings of TTU’s extra-innings victory against Morehead State. She allowed just two earned runs and one extra-base hit in that outing on Friday.
After Tech fell in its second game of the day on Friday, the Golden Eagles had their backs against the wall in the double-elimination tournament, but Thomas came helped keep the team’s championship hopes alive as she struck out nine and allowed just two earned runs in Tech’s 6-3 victory against Murray State on Saturday.
Thomas then came to the rescue against Eastern Illinois on Saturday night, coming into the game in the third inning and throwing seven innings without allowing a run in a 3-2 TTU win. On Sunday, Thomas held the top-seed UT Martin Skyhawks to just six hits and two earned runs while striking out four as Tech was eliminated from the tournament by a final score of 2-1.
At the plate, catcher Callie Schmidt carried the load for Tech during the tournament as she led the team with a .333 batting average, one home run and seven RBIs. Her seven runs batted in brought her season total to 43, the eighth most in a single season in TTU history.
Schmidt reached base in all five games of the tournament. After drawing two walks against Morehead State, Schmidt hit a two-run homer against Jacksonville State that gave the Golden Eagles the lead. The home run was her ninth of the season, three more than she had during her sophomore campaign.
Schmidt finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs against Murray State in TTU’s third game of the tournament before going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs against Eastern Illinois. The junior finished the tournament with a 1-for-2 showing against UT Martin, recording one of the team’s two hits during the game.
Schmidt and Thomas added OVC All-Tournament Team honors to their list of OVC accolades that they have received this season. Schmidt was named OVC Player of the Week during the third week of the season, while Thomas, a second-team all-OVC selection, was named OVC Pitcher of the Week during week 11 of the regular season.
Other Golden Eagles who received OVC recognition during the 2010 season include Maddie Schmissrauter, Kaleigh Gates, Chanelle Spalding and Melody Christian. Schmissrauter was named OVC Pitcher of the Week in week four of the regular season, while Gates was a second-team all-OVC selection and both Spalding and Christian were members of the OVC all-newcomer team.
Tech finished its 2010 season with a 28-30 overall record after winning 10 of its final 14 games.
ALL-TOURNAMENT
TEAM
Nikki Prior, Jacksonville State (MVP)
Hilary Down, Jacksonville State
Mary Beth Ledbetter, Jacksonville State
Ashley Eliasson, Jacksonville State
Megan Van Arsdale, UT Martin
Laurie Lindow, UT Martin
Kate Vanderham, UT Martin
Holly Thomas, Tennessee Tech
Callie Schmidt, Tennessee Tech
Denee’ Menzione, Eastern Illinois
Kayla Brill, Morehead State
Stephanie Mattocks, Murray State
