By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee State made Tennessee Tech earn everything on Saturday, keeping the Golden Eagles quiet on the scoreboard.
Tech had to tie the day's opener in the sixth inning, then earn the extra-inning victory in the eighth to claim the opener 4-3. Then, after trailing 2-0 early, the Golden Eagles rallied for single runs in the third, fourth and fifth to take a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
In game one, TSU (12-33, 2-16 Ohio Valley Conference) tied its season high for hits with 11, matching the Golden Eagles in the column, as Peyton Fointno, Ryla Traylor and Maggie Klug each collected two safeties and Ivory Jones was 3-for-4 at the plate.
Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Haeli Bryson, Abby Buettner and Shelby Penning each had two hits in the opener.
The Golden Eagles got the game-winner in the top of the eighth. After Kaylan Cole led off with a walk, she advanced to second on Savannah Talley's grounder to first. Shelby Penning flew out to right, moving Cole over to third on the sacrifice. Fitzgerald drove in the run as she dropped a single into left field.
Tyler Erwin, who had gone the previous seven frames, closed out the contest as she coaxed a fly out, yielded a double, then a grounder and a strikeout to preserve the win, her 11th of the season. Erwin improved to 11-2 as she allowed three runs – all earned – on 11 hits, walking two and striking out two.
Her counterpart, Raven Loveless, allowing four runs – three earned – on 11 hits, walking five and striking out none.
Tech scored first in the opening frame as Carmen Betts drove in Bryson on a double to right field. The Golden Eagles made it 2-0 in the second as Talley scored on a bases-loaded walk to Sydney Love-Baker.
TSU scored its first run in the bottom of the second as Jones hit a single to right field to drive in Lauren Farias. They added two more in the fifth as Farias had a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Fointno, then Klug's single to right scored Traylor.
The Golden Eagles tied the game in the top of the sixth as Penning's fly ball to left was deep enough to drive in Brooklin Richardson on the sacrifice.
TSU scored the first two runs of the second game. In the first, a Traylor bunt to the third-base side drove in Jasmine Brown, then, in the second, Farias came home on Kayli Mothershed's sacrifice fly to straight-away center.
Tech chipped away in the top of the third as Sydney Dukes hit a grounder to second, but it was misplayed allowing Bryson to score after she reached on a walk and advanced on a wild pitch.
Fitzgerald tied the game in the top of the fourth. With Savannah Talley leading off the inning with a double to right center, she saw two retired before Fitzgerald stood in and launched a double into left center. Talley's cross knotted the game at 2-all.
Tech took over in the fifth as Bryson led off with a double to center, then moved up on Love-Baker's bunt to third. Dukes picked up the RBI as she singled to left to bring Bryson home.
Bryson picked up the complete-game win, allowing two runs – one earned – on five hits, walking one and striking out three. Caitlyn Manus took the loss, allowing three runs – two earned – on five hits, walking three and striking out five. Francys King threw the final two frames, yielding one hit as she walked one and struck out one.
Tech (29-14, 11-8 OVC) will conclude the series with the Tigers on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Photo | Emily Armstrong, file