By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Weather was not kind at Tennessee State's field on the weekend. After Saturday's games were washed out and rescheduled as a doubleheader on Sunday morning, Tech and TSU got the day's opener in with the Golden Eagles emerging victorious 7-4.
Tech also worked its way to a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning of game two before rain fell once more. With the field unable to hold any more water, the game was called, erasing everything that had transpired in the previous four and a half innings.
The Golden Eagles (22-22, 12-13 OVC) take the series, winning the only game played, and hold on to their seventh-place standing in the conference tournament this week. Tech will play No. 6-seed Lindenwood (25-23, 13-13 OVC) on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in a single-elimination game. The winner will face No. 3-seed Tennessee State later that afternoon.
The erasure of the two games in the series did not change Tech's matchup in the field as the results – at best case -- would have given the Golden Eagles the No. 6-seed and flip-flopped with the Lions. Tennessee State (24-23, 15-10 OVC), however, takes advantage of the second game Sunday not being recorded as a loss as the lack of a result put them over Southern Indiana (22-20, 16-11 OVC) for the No. 3-seed in the tournament by virtue of .007 winning percentage points.
In the game that did count, Emily York collected her eighth victory of the season, coming on in relief of Payton Wagner. York threw four scoreless frames, walking one and striking out three. Wagner had three innings of work in the start, allowing four runs on six hits.
The Golden Eagles scored three runs in the first inning, putting pressure on TSU starter Caitlyn Manus as Tech scored three runs on three hits. Mac Fitzgerald got the first of her three hits with a single up the middle, stole second, then took third on a fielding error. Abby Shoulders drew a four-pitch walk, then claimed second as well. With the two runners getting a head start, Carmen Betts ripped a two-run double down the right field line.
TSU tied the game in the bottom of the second with a fielder's choice, a sacrifice fly and a double to right plating a trio, then the Tigers claimed the lead with a single run in the third on a fielding error in the outfield off of a double.
Tech powered ahead in the fifth with a four-run frame and never looked back. With one down, Fitzgerald reached on an error at short, then a Shoulders double and Betts single loaded the bases. A wild pitch moved up the runners with Fitzgerald tying the game at four.
Sydney Kirby followed up with a single to left to drive in Shoulders, then Sofia Carroll sealed the deal with a double, scoring pinch-runners Brooklin Richardson and Bailee Stack.
Manus took the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out three.
Photo | Jim Dillon, file
