By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CLINTON, S.C. – Tennessee Tech started the 2024 softball season on a high note, sweeping both games in Friday action at the Blue Hose Invitational, topping Norfolk State 4-3 and Presbyterian 3-2.
The Golden Eagles (2-0) play the same two teams again tomorrow with the contest against Norfolk State scheduled for 11 a.m. and the final game of the tournament at 4 p.m. against the host Blue Hose. Live stats will not be available for the first game against the Spartans.
There were plenty of strong performances all around on the season's first day with Abby Buettner going a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate with one run driven in and two runs scored. Sydney Kirby collected three of Tech's six RBI on the day, while Carmen Betts was 3-for-7 with two runs scored and two RBI.
In the circle, Lennon Spicer and Emily York each struck out four, while Spicer and Payton Wagner notched their first victories of the season. York was awarded the save against Presbyterian.
In the day's opener against Norfolk State, the Spartans struck for three runs in the opening frame. With two down, a fielding error allowed the NSU batter to reach and extending the inning as everything became unearned at that point. One run scored on the error, then two more came home on a single to left center.
Tech just needed one inning to take the lead as the Golden Eagles collected four runs on four hits and an error. Jordan Key led off the frame with a single to right, then Alina Schlageter came on to pinch run. After a fly out, Abby Shoulders was hit by a pitch, then Betts put a single into right field. The ball was misplayed, allowing Schlageter and Shoulders to score as Betts rolled into second.
Buettner hit a single into left center – advancing Betts – then took second herself on the throw to third. Kirby stood in and delivered a double into center field to plate the two Tech runners.
Neither team scored another run in the contest as Spicer allowed just two hits the rest of the way. She earned the complete-game victory, allowing three unearned runs on seven hits and striking out four.
In the nightcap, Tech struck for two runs in the top of the first with Shoulders hitting a single to right, then stealing second. Betts eyed a base hit through the middle, bringing the lead runner home. A passed ball allowed Betts to take third, then Buettner lined a hit into left field to drive in the senior ahead of her.
The Golden Eagles added a run in the third as Kirby followed up Buettner's double with an RBI single to left center.
Presbyterian scored two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth with three straight base hits off Wagner allowed two runs to score. York came on in relief and whiffed one, then forced a groundout to short to end the frame with no further damage.
York settled in and was able to get out of a jam in the fifth with back-to-back swinging strike-threes, then coaxed a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth with two liners to right sandwiching a swinging strikeout. She had another 1-2-3 frame in the seventh with a popup to short, a fly out to center and a 1-6-3 putout edging out the batter at first to end the contest.
