By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
CHARLESTON, Ill. – It's becoming borderline outrageous. The Tennessee Tech softball team proved once again that in lieu of a diamond, a theatre seems more appropriate to showcase the on-going dramatics that is the 2015 season.
Saturday's doubleheader with Eastern Illinois further demonstrated that Tech's series of late-inning comebacks, history-making performances, and overall ability to come up in the clutch has turned the corner from periodically to redundancy.
History stole the show in the opener behind a Golden Eagle (20-17, 7-5) 1-0 victory, while another Tech seventh-inning comeback was ultimately not enough in the second game, as the Panthers (11-17) captured the contest, 3-2, in 10 innings.
Sophomore Danielle Liberatore was the story in the opener, propelling the Golden Eagles (20-17, 7-5) to a 1-0 victory behind a gem for the ages. It was a mere 13 days earlier that 5-foot-10 southpaw set the all-time record for most strikeouts in a game with 16 as part of a 2-1 victory against UT Martin, surpassing the mark of current Tennessee Tech head coach Bonnie Bynum.
On Saturday, Liberatore (12-7) became the first pitcher in Golden Eagle history to record two 15-strikeout games after whiffing 15 Panthers en route to the narrow win. The surreal showing that featured just two EIU singles pushed Liberatore to her fifth OVC shutout in seven conference starts.
Sophomore catcher Alyssa Ricahrds, the battery mate of Liberatore, found herself pnce again smack dab in the middle of the offensive dramatics after drilling a fourth-inning solo home run for the game's only run. The round tripper was the sixth of the season for the Italy, Texas native, continuing a trend of late-inning heroics that included a walk-off two run double in Tech's previous OVC series win over Belmont on Mar. 29.
EIU freshman Michelle Rogers (5-8) suffered the tough luck loss, despite going the distance and surrendering only one run.
Tech's inherent ability to erase seventh-inning deficits was showcased in the day's second game, posting a two-spot in the seventh to force extra innings.
Trailing 2-0, freshman Bayli Cruse started the frame with a single up the middle, which was promptly followed by a Sabrie Neeb hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second with no one down. A Rachel Karlan sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, before a Kelly Kennedy pinch-hit two-run single up the middle deadlocked the tilt at 2-2.
The sterling comeback marked the fifth time this season that Tech has either forced extras or won a contest in which the Golden Eagles were trailing entering their turn in the seventh. In fact, with the pair of runs, TTU has now outscored its opponents a staggering 30-11 in the seventh this season.
The intrigue of starting fresh in extras was heightened after Tech called on Danielle Liberatore in the last of the seventh to get the game to the eighth. The hard-throwing lefty struck out six more in three and two-thirds innings, wrapping up an afternoon that saw Liberatore whiff 21 on the day.
In the bottom of the tenth, Eastern Illinois finally seized the contest. Junior Katie Watson began the frame with a single down the right-field line, before the Louisville, Ky. native advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Andrea Roberts.
Watson then moved to third on an infield single by junior Jenette Isaac to put runners on the corners, before Isaac swiped second move into scoring position, but the Golden Eagles were unwilling to let the Panthers end the game just yet. Junior third-baseman Cortney Fry came up with the game's biggest defensive play, gunning down Watson on a ball hit by junior April Markowski on the ensuing EIU hitter.
The fielder's choice advanced Isaac to third, before the 5-foot-1 outfielder came around to score the winning run one batter later on a Tech defensive miscue behind a ball hit by sophomore Ashlynne Paul.
Liberatore was hit with the loss in relief, despite yielding one unearned run out of the bullpen. Freshman Jessica Wireman (5-8) lasted all 10 innings to pick up the win, scattering six hits in the process.
Not to be lost in all the thrilling action was an outstanding effort inside the circle by senior Erica Tuck, who was making her first start of the year. The 5-foot-9 righty pitched into the seventh inning, allowing only two runs on seven hits with a career-high six strikeouts.
Tech will end its road trip up north Sunday, squaring off with SIU Edwardsville in a doubleheader, beginning at 12 p.m. CT.
