By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – It was a tough day Friday at the Wings Etc. Classic as the Tennessee Tech softball team had a tough outing against Pitt, falling 6-0, then saw a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh end the Golden Eagles' bid at handing USC Upstate its first loss of the season, dropping a 3-2 decision.
Tech (7-5) has lost three in a row after a 7-2 start to the season, and returns to action on Saturday as the Golden Eagles take on Pitt once more at 10 a.m., followed by Cleveland State at 2 p.m.
Sydney Dukes had three of Tech's hits on the day – one against Pitt and two against USC Upstate -- while Haeli Bryson had the Golden Eagles' only other hit against the Panthers, and Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Nicolle Nysted and Brooklin Richardson had the other hits against the Spartans.
Alyssa Arden took the loss to fall to 3-3 on the season. She allowed three runs on eight hits across five innings, walking one and striking out seven. Tyler Erwin pitched the final frame in relief, allowing three runs – two earned – on three hits, striking out one.
Their counterpart in the circle, Dani Drogemiller, improved to 3-2 as she held Tech to two hits, while walking two and striking out seven.
The Golden Eagles fared slightly better in the day's second game as Alyssa Kelly allowed two Tech runs in the top of the seventh to knot the score at two. Kelly yielded the scores on five hits and two walks, while striking out five.
However, Kelly received the win after her Spartan teammates collected a single, then picked up a two-out double to right center for the victory.
Bryson worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, while walking and striking out one.
Tech scored its two runs on the day in the seventh inning as Abby Buettner led off with a walk, then Dukes singled down the right field line. Nysted drove the runners up on a single down the right field line. Richardson and KaDedra Temple hit back-to-back grounders – to second and short, respectively – to bring Buettner and Dukes home.