By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—The Tennessee Tech softball team (6-14) rang in day one of the Tech tournament with a split. The Golden Eagles opened up tournament play with a 6-0 loss to Kennesaw State (13-7), but then came back in the nightcap to defeat East Tennessee State (8-6) 6-3.
In the final game of the day against the ETSU Buccaneers, Tech opened up its scoring campaign with a solo home run to left center by Madison Taylor in the bottom of the second. The Golden Eagles then went on to add two more in the bottom of the fourth when Cortney Fry stole second opening it up for Amity Brown to steal third, and then an ETSU throwing error allowed both runners to advance and Brown to score. Bennett then came up to the plate and singled to center field to round out a 3-0 lead at the end of the fourth.
The Buccaneers tied up the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth when ETSU's Jayci McGill launched a three-run home run to left center. However, the Golden Eagles fended off the Buccaneers from scoring anymore and added one more themselves in the bottom of the fifth when Bayli Cruse doubled to right center to bring in another Tech run.
The Golden Eagles rounded out their 6-3 victory over the Buccaneers by adding two more runs in the sixth off of a two-run home run by Callen Griffin.
Danielle Liberatore (3-6) saw victory from the circle going for 2.2 innings and allowing no runs on no hits while striking out five and walking one. Rebecca Wahrmund suffered the loss going for 3.1 innings and giving up three runs on four hits.
In Tech's morning game against Kennesaw State, the Owls started their run in the top of the second when KSU's Hillary Kartman reached on a fielding error allowing two runners to score. The Owls continued to add one run each inning from the top of third to the top of sixth to round out a 6-0 shutout over the Golden Eagles.
Freshman pitcher Leigh Thomas (2-5) suffered the loss for the Golden Eagles going for 4.2 innings and allowing five runs on four hits. Logan Viers (6-1) was the winning pitcher on the KSU side going for 5.0 innings and allowing no runs on three hits while striking out six and walking none.
Tech returns to tournament play on Sunday when they host Kennesaw State at 1 p.m. followed by a 3 p.m. contest versus East Tennessee State.
