COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Behind a combined total of 16 runs, on 16 hits, the Tennessee Tech softball team took the first two games of its three-game series Saturday against the Austin Peay Lady Govs by the scores of 8-2 and 8-0 in five innings.
With its two wins against APSU, TTU remains deadlocked with Murray State for sixth place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with identical 11-14 OVC records. The Racers kept pace with the Golden Eagles after a pair of wins against Tennessee State.
The Golden Eagle bats did not waste any time as they opened game one with a four-run first inning, and followed with an additional three runs in the third.
The first three Tech batters reached base in the first, as Callie Schmidt opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly. Brittney Spalding kept the runs coming as she drilled a two-out, two-run double down the left field line to extend TTU's lead to 3-0. Whitney Cummings added an RBI single, before a groundout ended the inning.
Tech added three more in the bottom of the third, including a two-run single off the bat of Kaleigh Gates as the Golden Eagles extended their lead to seven.
While the Golden Eagles bats flourished, pitcher Holly Thomas thrived in the circle as she allowed one base runner through five innings. The Lady Govs managed to get a pair of runs on the board in the sixth, but Thomas held firm as she improved to 14-8 on the season, while striking out five.
The Tech bats did not let up in game two as they opened with another four-run first inning, that was capped off by Cumming's fifth homerun of the season, a three-run shot to centerfield.
The Golden Eagles added a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings to extend their lead to 8-0.
Pitcher Claudia Harke kept the Lady Govs off the scoreboard as she went the distance pitching five shutout innings, giving up just two hits, while striking out five. Her five-inning shutout is the first shutout of her career, and first win of the season.
Tech (20-24, 11-14 OVC) will look to complete the sweep against the Lady Govs Sunday. The first pitch is slated for 1 p.m.