By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Tennessee Tech softball team fell victim to an Eastern Kentucky power surge that saw the Colonels slug five home runs, as the Golden Eagles (26-25, 13-10) fell in both games of Saturday's doubleheader. Early offense was the story in the opener en route to a Colonel (23-23, 13-7) 4-1 win, before EKU completed the sweep with an 8-6 victory in the night cap.
A long ball brigade broke out in the opener, with the two squads combining for three home runs on the way to an EKU 4-1 victory. In fact, four of the five runs plated in the contest came via the long ball, highlighted by a pair in the first by the Colonels.
Sophomore Krislyn Campos led off the frame with a round tripper to jump Eastern Kentucky to the early edge, before freshman Sarah Jackson touched them all on a two-run shot later in the inning to push the Colonel advantage to 3-0.
The shaky beginning for sophomore Danielle Liberatore (14-10) would be the only blemish in the 5-foot-10 southpaw's outing, as she would go on to settle down to the tune of just one run on only two hits over the next six innings en route to a complete-game showing. Liberatore also struck out nine in the tilt, jumping the Peotone, Ill. native's total to 204 on the year, joining SIUE's Haley Chambers as the only two pitchers in the OVC with over 200 punch outs on the year.
Tech's lone run came in the top of the fifth thanks to a home run by sophomore Kelly Kennedy, the 6-foot-2 catcher's second of the season.
Eastern Kentucky senior Leanna Pittsenbarger (10-10) tallied the win behind a complete-game effort that saw the Urbana, Ohio native let up just one hit, striking out eight and walking one in the process.
A barrage of fireworks kicked off the day's second game, with the two clubs combining for seven-first inning runs. Tech opened up the tilt in promising fashion after the first three Golden Eagles each collected singles, including an Olivia Bennett knock that scored senior Angi Sakamoto to put TTU on top 1-0.
A Bayli Cruse sacrifice fly that brought around junior Sabrie Neeb padded the lead to 2-0, before a Hannah Eldridge run-scoring single into left center allowed Bennett to touch up home to push the margin to 3-0.
EKU came right back in its chance in the first, posting a four-spot to take a narrow 4-3 advantage. The first four Colonels reached in the inning, scoring four runs in the process thanks to a Paige Murphy RBI double, a Sarah Fobbs single coupled with a Tech throwing error, and a two-run Katie Tackett home run that gave Eastern Kentucky the slim edge.
The Colonels mirrored the strong opening frame with another four-spot in the fourth, using two more round trippers to pull away from the Golden Eagles. Junior Kayla Joyce kicked off the inning with a home run into left field to push the EKU lead to 5-3, before a three-run Katie Tackett shot, the Murrieta, Calif. native's second of the game, gave the Colonels some breathing room with an 8-3 advantage.
Despite plating a run in each of the next three innings, Tech's valiant comeback bid fell short. A bases loaded walk to Hannah Eldridge allowed Sabrie Neeb to score to cut the deficit to 8-4 in the top of the fifth, before Neeb delivered with an RBI single in the top of the sixth to trim the EKU lead to 8-5. TTU's final run came on a Madison Taylor one-out run-scoring single in the top of the seventh to cap off the scoring at 8-6.
Taylor's base hit put two on with one out, forcing EKU to bring in game one winner Leanna Pittsenbarger, who tallied the final two outs to record the save. Junior Hayley Flynn (5-5) notched the win behind 5 2/3 innings from inside the circle.
Tech senior Erica Tuck (4-3) was hit with the loss after yielding eight runs (seven earned) in 3 1/3 innings. Senior Taylor Ketchum looked effective after blanking the Colonels in 2 2/3 hitless-innings that saw the Newcastle, Okla. native strike out three as well.
The two teams will close out the three-game set with a Sunday single-game beginning at 12 p.m. CT.
