COOKEVILLE, Tenn. --- Both hitting and pitching were on full display in Saturday's doubleheader as Tennessee Tech earned a split against Dayton, winning the first game 5-2 before taking a 13-9 loss in 11 innings in game two.
The starting pitchers took center stage in game one as TTU's Tristan Archer came within one out of the complete game, while Dayton's Mike Hauschild threw a complete eight innings.
Archer (2-0), who struck out six Flyers, gave up just two runs while issuing just one walk. Dayton managed to get a one run on the board in the first and sixth innings, but it was Archer who kept the Flyer grounded as he faced the minimum three batters in four innings.
Cullen Park came on in relief of Archer with two outs in the ninth to secure his second save of the season.
Hauschild (1-1) was almost equally effective but a three-run second inning, along with a two-run eighth proved too much as he took his first loss of the season as he surrendered five runs, four of which were earned.
Four Golden Eagles notched one RBI in the game including Austin Wulf and Zach Stephens, who each tallied two hits.
CJ Gillman knocked a solo-shot to right field for the Flyers in the sixth inning, while AJ Ryan drove in Dayton's first run with an RBI single in the first inning.
The offenses were on display for game two as the Golden Eagles and Flyers combined for 22 runs and 30 hits in 11 innings.
Dayton's offense managed two runs in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings, while the Golden Eagles rallied for seven runs in the fifth inning.
During their seven-run fifth inning, the Golden Eagles tallied seven hits, as the TTU batted around the lineup.
Matthew Shepherd, who came on in relief of Tech starter Seth Lucio in the third inning, was rolling in the later innings as he allowed just one base runner in the seventh and eighth innings.
Leading 9-8 with two outs in the top of the ninth, the Flyers managed to score the tying run off a fielding by the Golden Eagles to force extra innings.
After a scoreless 10th inning, the Flyers notched four runs in the 11th as they would go on to win by the final score of 13-9.
Park (0-1) took the loss as he gave up three runs in 1.2 innings, while Dayton's Burny Mitchem (1-1) claimed the victory as he fanned 14 Tech batters, in six shutout innings.
Wulf, who opened the bottom of the first with his third home run of the season, extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Stephens tallied two hits for the Golden Eagles, while Zephan Guyear drove in two runs.
Bobby Glover and Gillman drove in three runs each for the Flyers.
The rubber game of the three-game series is schedule for Sunday at 1 p.m.
