COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Golden Eagle softball team is in a rut, but return to the dirt Sunday ready to get back to winning ways. Tech hosts OVC opponent Austin Peay in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
Tech has dropped four-straight, all by an average of less than two runs.
The Golden Eagles are batting .272 on the season, led by a group of three batters hitting .300 or better. Senior Melody Christian leads the way with a .388 average, 12 RBI, 19 runs and 11 stolen bases. Rightfielder Madison Taylor boasts a .353 average with a team-best .402 on-base percentage. Infielder Hannah Eldridge has driven in nine runs and tallied a team-leading six extra base hits, including one home run.
Four pitchers are splitting time in the circle for Tech. The group has combined for a 3.59 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Sophomore Taylor Ketchum (7-5) has strukout 47 batters in 75 innings, including nine complete games and a save. Erica Tuck (0-4) has retired 16 batters in 40 innings while Claudia Harke has notched two wins.
All-Time Series
Tech vs.
Austin Peay: 66-17, Tech
swept the three-game series last season and haven't lost to the
Lady Govs since 2003. The Golden Eagles won last years games in
Clarksville 3-1, 6-5 and 5-3.
Quick Hits
- Tech is 11-13 overall after dropping four-straight.
- As a team, Tech is hitting .272, posting 92 runs scored, 78 rbi and a .339 on-base percentage through 24 games.
- The Golden Eagle pitching staff combines for a 3.59 ERA, allowing 80 earned runs in 156.0 innings pitched.
- Senior Melody Christian opened the season on a tear, connecting for at least one hit in her first 11 games of the season.
- Two players have scored double-figure runs for the Golden Eagles, including Christian, with a team high 19 runs and is the teams stolen bases leader.
- Christian is third in the OVC with 11 stolen bases on 12 attempts.
- Freshman Madison Taylor has a .353 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 sunshine 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.