By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MOREHEAD, Ky. – There aren't many Ohio Valley Conference teams who have been around since the beginning of Tennessee Tech's softball program – Austin Peay and Morehead State both sit on the inaugural varsity season's schedule back in 1986.
Since then, the series against the Eagles stands as the longest-running in Tech's softball history with 110 games between the two teams in the 35 years since. The Golden Eagles lead the series 73-37 and have won six of the last 10.
But when the two teams meet on Sunday – nearly two years to the date since last taking each other on, with the last meeting on March 24, 2019 – each team will have completely different looks.
First pitch on Sunday is set for 12 p.m. Central, with game two coming approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first. Game three of the series will be Monday at noon Central. The games were pushed back after inclement weather appeared in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.
Morehead State comes into the set with a 6-9 record, including a run-rule sweep over Kentucky State, winning 12-1 and 10-1, both in five innings. The home Eagles are winless in OVC play, swept at home by Eastern Illinois and on the road at Austin Peay.
Offensively, MSU has good numbers, fairly consistent with its opponents. The Eagles are hitting .268 to opponents' .291, scored 78 runs to 79, 107 hits to their 111 and 65 RBI to their 71. The biggest differential is at home runs – Morehead has hit one and opponents 10.
MSU has been more successful on stolen bases with Kirya Kingery leading the way with 15 steals in 16 tries, leading a squad that has stolen 40 bases on 44 attempts.
Alexis Strother leads Morehead at the plate with a .381 batting average, hitting the team's lone home run and driving in a team-best 12 RBI. Kingery has scored a team-high 15 runs to go along with her .341 average and six RBI. Peyton Rose (.278) and Taylor Rhea (.316) have both driven in seven.
In the circle, Lennon Spicer has a team-best 4-4 record with a 3.25 ERA. In 47 1/3 innings of work, she has walked 17 and struck out 32 with teams hitting .268 against her. Carolyn Alincic has a 2-3 record in seven appearances, while posting a 7.67 ERA, walking 21 and striking out 20. Kelsey Perkins (0-1, 3.71 ERA) has six walks and 10 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.
Tech enters Sunday's set with an 8-11 record, 3-3 in the Ohio Valley after sweeping Tennessee State in the conference's opening weekend, then dropping three to Southeast Missouri last weekend. Tech fell in a 4-3 heartbreaker to North Alabama on Tuesday.
Jessie Lowery has a team-high 12 RBI to go along with her .232 average, four doubles, two home runs and team-high eight runs scored. Nicolle Nysted leads Tech in round-trippers with four, while Sydney Love-Baker has a team-best .345 batting average with three doubles, a triple, a home run and eight RBI.
In the circle, Haeli Bryson took over the team lead In earned run average, posting a 2.79 mark to go along with a 3-1 record in six appearances. Over the course of 32 2/3 frames, Bryson has three walks and 26 strikeouts, with opponents hitting .228. Alyssa Arden still holds the lead in wins with four in 14 appearances, as well as a team-best opposing batter average with teams hitting .203. Arden has walked 36 and struck out 42.