COOKEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tennessee Tech baseball team may have gotten off to a quick start Tuesday evening, but it was Middle Tennessee that would have the final say as the Blue Raiders staged a late-game rally to hand the Golden Eagles a 10-7 loss in extra innings.
Leading 6-3 heading into the eighth inning, the Golden Eagles seemed to have things in hand as they stymied a would-be Blue Raider rally in the seventh. Despite leaving the bases loaded in the seventh, MTSU was able to pull within on as it added two runs in the eighth off a sacrifice fly and an RBI-single.
TTU reliever Josh Bryant was able to carry Tech's 6-5 lead into the ninth, but Ethan Williams led off the ninth with a solo-shot to right center to knot up the score at six. Zane Morton then came on in relief of Bryant and forced three ground outs to end the inning.
After the Golden Eagles failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Raiders managed to put together a four-run inning to take a 10-6 lead. Williams once again provided the big hit as he notched a two-run single.
Zach Stephens led off the bottom of the 10th with solo-shot to right, but that was all Tech would get against MTSU reliever Paul Mittura as he shut the door to give the Blue Raiders the 10-7 win.
MTSU's Jordan Cooper (1-2) earned the win as he threw three scoreless innings, while striking out four. Morton (0-1) took the loss as he gave up four runs, three of which were earned, in 1.1 innings.
Stephens paced the Golden Eagle offense with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the first and his solo-shot in the 10th. Austin Wulf and James Abraham each tallied a game-high three hits as well.
Trent Miller and Williams each tallied three hits and drove in three runs for the Blue Raiders.
MTSU starter Kooper Kessler gave up four runs in 0.2 innings, while TTU starter Garrett Baugh threw two shutout innings.
The Golden Eagles (17-23, 7-8 OVC) resume conference action this weekend as they host a three-game series against Eastern Illinois. Game one of the series is set for Friday at 6 p.m.
