By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – It was a fight to the finish in both games on Saturday, but the Tennessee Tech softball team fell in two heartbreakers, dropping a 7-4 contest to Toledo, then a 6-5 eight-inning effort against Indiana State in the second day of the Chattanooga Challenge.
Tech (3-5) is slated to take on Dayton at 9 a.m. Sunday to close out its games in the tournament, weather permitting.
In the opening contest of the day against the Rockets (4-5), Tech trailed 7-1 as Toledo tagged starting pitcher Alyssa Arden for seven runs on nine hits as she walked two and struck out three. Callie Piper came on in relief, walking two in a frame of work.
However, the Golden Eagles rallied for three runs with the bases loaded in the seventh inning as Kayla Hughes walked and Hallie Davis and Sydney Love-Baker were hit by pitches to plate the runs.
Raegan Sparks had the earlier RBI, driving in Love-Baker on a foul fly out at third.
In the latter game, it was a back-and-forth effort as Haeli Bryson went the distance, allowing six runs on six hits, walking one and striking out two.
Davis led Tech at the plate with three RBI on a 2-for-4 effort.
The Golden Eagles scored first in the top of the third as Gabby LaSala scored on a Davis single up the middle.
The lead held until the bottom of the fourth as Indiana State struck for two runs. Tech responded, tagging the Sycamores for three runs in the top of the fifth, making it a 4-2 game. The big blow came as LaSala and Davis hit back-to-back doubles, with the latter sending Beth McCulley and LaSala home to score.
However, a two-run error in the bottom of the fifth knotted the score at four runs each.
Tech took the lead in the top of the eight. With Jessie Lowery placed on second for the international tiebreaker rule, Raleigh Lewis roped a double down the left field to put the go-ahead run on the board.
The Sycamores (5-1) responded in the bottom half though. Tech was able to erase the placed runner at home on a 6-2 putout on a fielder's choice from Love-Baker to Emily Bartholomew, but ISU scored on a fielder's choice on a bunt, putting runners on the corners with a run scoring. A single to center field ended the contest with Indiana State on top.