COOKEVILLE, Tenn. --- The bats were cooking during the series finale Sunday as Tennessee Tech won the rubber game with Central Michigan, 14-13, and claimed two-out-of three in the series.
The Golden Eagles and Chippewas combined for 27 runs on 29 hits, which included five doubles and four home runs.
Five Golden Eagles recorded at least two hits in the game paced by leadoff hitter Austin Wulf, who tallied a team-high four hits including a three-run home run in the fourth inning (photo at right).
Zach Stephens notched three hits in the game, including his fifth home run in as many games, as he drove in two and scored three. Evan Frazier drove in a game-high four runs on two hits.
Heading into the bottom of the fourth Central Michigan had built a three-run lead at 5-2 as the Chippewas managed to get a total of five runs off TTU starter Seth Lucio and Jake McWhirter.
Michael Morris coaxed a walk to open the bottom of the fourth and advanced to third on Dylan Bosheers double. CMU starter Jordan Foley managed to get one out, but Wulf stepped in and hit his three-run shot to right center to tie the game at five.
The Golden Eagles continued to pour on the runs as they tallied four more on three hits, including a two-run single from Frazier to take the lead at 10-5.
In the top of the sixth, Central Michigan answered right back as it tallied a total of six runs on four hits and two errors to reclaim the lead at 11-10. Nick Theunissen did the most damage with a three-run double to right center.
CMU added two more runs in the top of the seventh, including a solo-shot by Eric Wrozek, to increase its lead to 13-10.
In the bottom of the frame, Tech put together a four-run rally as Frazier, Ben Burgess and Tevis Sherfield combined for four runs batted in to give the Golden Eagles the lead at 14-13.
In the top of the eighth Burgess took hill as Frazier assumed the catching duties and proceeded to record his first career save as he got the final six outs, while striking out two, as the Golden Eagles took the 14-13 victory.
Cullen Park (1-3) earned the win for the Golden Eagles as he threw 1.1 innings, while CMU relief pitcher Dylan Rheault (0-1) was saddled with the loss as he gave up six runs, two earned, in 3.1 innings pitched.
TTU begins a five-game road trip Tuesday as it takes on Middle Tennessee at 6 p.m.
