By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Tech softball team wrapped up the weekend with a split against Belmont, helping the Golden Eagles build a little progress in the Ohio Valley Conference race.
The Bruins won game one 1-0, then Tech earned the 5-4 victory in the nightcap.
With the split, the Golden Eagles improve to 13-22 overall, as well as 6-4 in the conference race.
In game one, it was a duel between starting hurlers Danielle Liberatore and Brooklin Lee. Liberatore allowed one run on two hits as she walked one and struck out eight. She had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning until Shersty Stanton doubled to left center, then Amy Zeronian tripled down the right field line to put the lone run on the scoreboard.
Gabby LaSala, Bayli Cruse and Hallie Davis picked up the only hits for the Golden Eagles.
Lee worked a scoreless seven innings, yielding three hits and striking out five.
In game two, the Golden Eagles took a 1-0 run in the third as Kelly Kennedy drove in Amity Brown with an RBI single down the left field line.
Tech then added three runs in the fourth as Aalia Bivens hit a one-out solo home run to left, followed by back-to-back doubles from Cruse and Alyssa Richards -- Cruse driving in Sarah Freels and Richards bringing Cruse home.
Belmont countered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame, then Bivens gave Tech an insurance run in the fifth as Bivens drove in Gabby Perez with a single up the middle to make it 5-3.
The Bruins added a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Golden Eagles were able to keep the Bruins from scoring any more runs as Liberatore came on in relief to earn her second save of the season.
Leigh Ellen Thomas earned the victory, working 3 2/3 innings as she allowed three runs on five hits. Taylor Waldrop came on in relief for a 1 1/3-inning tenure, allowing one run on one hit and a walk, then Liberatore struck out three in two innings.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Friday as they travel to Murray State for an Easter weekend twinbill, starting at 1 p.m.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
