COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Tech softball team finally
returns to the dirt Wednesday afternoon in preparation for its home
and Ohio Valley Conference opener following four cancellations last
week. The Golden Eagles travel to Nashville to play in a
doubleheader at Lipscomb. The first pitch will be at tossed at 4
p.m.
The Golden Eagles downed Thomas University (Ga.), 6-0, Wednesday as sophomores Taylor Ketchum and Erica Tuck gave up a combined five hits in the Golden Eagles' third shutout of the season. Angi Sakamoto blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to score Tech's final runs, while six different Golden Eagles crossed home plate.
Taylor, Tech's top offensive freshman, is second on the team with a .380 batting average, and a second-best 10 RBI. The Golden Eagles have been seeing quality time from fellow freshman Cortney Fry and newcomer Chelsea Burgess. Fry has a perfect fielding percentage while Burgess has been vital at the plate with a team-high four extra-base hits.
Taylor Ketchum (8-3) continues to give strong performances in the circle, with a 2.59 era. Behind Ketchum, senior Claudia Harke (2-3) has pitched 26.2 innings for the purple and gold, while Hannah Weaver (1-1) notched her first career win as a Golden Eagle over Maine in her first complete game.
All-Time Series
Tech vs.
Lipscomb: 11-8, Despite the
short distance seperating the Lady Bisons and the Golden Eagles,
the two teams haven't paired off since 2010. Tech dropped both ends
of a doubleheader in Cookeville, 5-0 and 1-2.
Quick Hits
- Tech is 11-9 overall after winning its only game of the week against Thomas 6-0.
- As a team, Tech is hitting .271, posting 76 runs scored, 65 rbi and a .342 on-base percentage through 19 games.
- The Golden Eagle pitching staff combines for a 3.81 ERA, allowing 67 earned runs in 123.0 innings pitched.
- Two players have scored double-figure runs for the Golden Eagles, including senior Melody Christian, with a team high 16 runs and is the teams stolen bases leader.
- Christian is fifth in the OVC with 9 stolen bases on 12 attempts.
- Freshman Madison Taylor has a .380 batting average, collecting a multiple career-firsts during the opening weekend, including her three hits, four putouts, and 2 rbi.
- Three Golden Eagles have recorded triples, including newcomer Chelsea Burgess.
- Three Golden Eagles have hit Home Runs (B. Spalding, Taylor, Eldridge)
- Ketchum was named adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week. Ketchum gave up just two hits in 10 innings of work.
- In a trip to the sunhine state, Tech ended the Under Armour Showcase 3-2, with key wins over Maine, LIU Brooklyn and Providence.
- Tech finished the Purple and Gold Challenge 0-1, losing it's only contest to IPFW 8-0.
- Tech posted a 2-2 record at the KSU Classic. The Golden Eagles opened the tournament sweeping its first two games with wins over Liberty (8 innings) and Mercer.
- The Golden Eagles finished the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern with a 2-2 record. The weekend was highlighted by a 3-1 victory over Akron as sophomore Taylor Ketchum threw a one-hitter Feb. 10.
- First year head coach Bonnie Bynum picked up her first win at Tennessee Tech after the team downed St. John's, 4-3. The Golden Eagles defeated St. John's thanks to a walk-off single by senior Chanelle Spalding, marking the first win against the Red Storm in program history and the first road victory of the 2013 season.