By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After seven of its past eight games on the road, the Tennessee Tech baseball team will finally get a small taste of home field advantage this weekend as the Golden Eagles return to the friendly confines of Bush Stadium for a pivotal three-game slate against Ohio Valley Conference foe Belmont.
The Golden Eagles (22-23, 13-11) will kick off the three-game set against the Bruins (25-22, 13-10) Friday evening with a 6 p.m. tilt under the lights at Quillen Field. With graduation ceremonies taking place on Saturday, game two of the series will also feature a 6 p.m. start. Sunday's series finale will wrap up the weekend with a 1 p.m. start.
In addition to being the last home weekend of ball for the Tech squad this season (the regular season home finale is Monday against Western Carolina), Sunday will represent the squad's annual Senior Day as well. Eight Golden Eagle seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony approximately 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
Fans can follow the action between Tech and the Bruins with live stats and video all weekend.
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Tennessee Tech vs. Belmont |
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| May 8-10, 2015 | Cookeville, Tenn. | Bush Stadium (1,100) |
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| FRI. | 6:00 P.M. |
SAT. | 6:00 P.M. |
SUN. | 1:00 P.M. |
| Probable Starters: | Probable Starters: | Probable Starters: |
| TTU - RHP Chris Chism 6-3, 4.62 ERA, 60.1 IP, 52 K |
TTU - RHP Evan Fraliex 4-2, 5.71 ERA, 63.0 IP, 37 K |
TTU - TBA 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.0 IP, 0 K |
| BEL - LHP Dan Ludwig 4-4, 4.75 ERA, 77.2 IP, 69 K |
BEL - RHP Aaron Quillen 4-4, 4.14 ERA, 58.2 IP, 68 K |
BEL - LHP Patrick McGrath 7-3, 4.45 ERA, 60.2 IP, 44 K |
SERIES INFO
Dates: May 8-10, 2015
Times: 6:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM CT
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Stadium: Bush Stadium
Radio: None
TV: None
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tech leads, 35-32
Bragga vs: 13-11
First Meeting: Unknown
Last Meeting: May 17, 2014
MULTIMEDIA
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Audio: None
Video: None
Webstream: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Twitter Updates: @TNTech_Baseball
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2015 Record: 22-23
2015 OVC Record: 13-11 (T-5th)
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
Career: 317-329-2 (12th season)
TTU: 317-329-2 (12th season)
STAT LEADERS
AVG: Tyler Brazelton (.333)
2B: Dylan Bosheers (17)
HR: Ryan Flick (9)
RBI: Flick (49)
SB: Anthony El Chibani (5)
BELMONT BRUINS
2015 Record: 25-22
2015 OVC Record: 13-10 (4th)
Head Coach: Dave Jarvis
Career: 845-612-2 (27th season)
BEL: 521-463-2 (18th season)
STAT LEADERS
AVG: Drew Ferguson (.388)
2B: Ferguson (22)
HR: Matt Beaty/Tyler Fullerton (10)
RBI: Beaty (60)
SB: Ferguson (21)
CLOSING IN...
All-American shortstop Dylan Bosheers has been the iron man of the Tennessee Tech baseball program his entire career, missing just three games (this season) over his four-year span in the purple and gold. Over that time period, the senior has paved his way into the top 10 career marks in several statistical categories.
Following last weekend's series at Southeast Missouri, Bosheers broke program record for career doubles, collecting the 57th two-bagger of his career to pass Mike Meihls. After playing in his 211th career game (all of which he's started) he moved into a tie for third all time. He also ranks second in runs scored with 185.
He currently is second all-time in hits (262), second with 415 total bases, fourth in at bats (805), fourth in career RBI with 170. With seven home runs on the year, Bosheers has moved into a tie for seventh place all time with 28 career bombs.
DOWN MAYBE, BUT NEVER OUT
If there's been anything to learn about this year's version of the Golden Eagles, it's that you can knock them down, but don't you dare count them out. In 31 games this season, Tech has mounted 10 come-from-behind victories when trailing in the fifth inning or later.
In the second game of the year, the Golden Eagles headed into the bottom of the ninth, trailing 7-2 to a feisty Longwood squad. Six runs later, Tech walked off with its first victory of the year. A week later, the squad found itself trailing to a dangerous Davidson team in the fifth by two runs. Tech tied it in the bottom half before the flood gates opened up with an eight-run sixth for a 12-5 win.
Morehead State mounted its own rally, taking a two-run lead in the top of the sixth while looking for a series sweep. Two quick runs in the bottom half of the frame led to an exhilarating 9-8, walk-off W for the Golden Eagles in the ninth.
In Nashville, the Golden Eagles looked sure to be done in the fifth, trailing in-state rival Lipscomb by six runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The Golden Eagles proved they don't care, dropping a seven-spot to take the lead for good in an unreal 12-8 victory.
The series-opener against Eastern Illinois saw the Panthers take a 6-4 lead into the fifth inning before the Tech squad tied things up in the bottom half. The Golden Eagles scored three more times in the sixth and then held off a seventh-inning rally to take down EIU 9-7.
The Golden Eagles showed more resiliency in a midweek bout with in-state rival Middle Tennessee, exploding for six runs in the seventh inning to rally from a 2-0 deficit. Tech captured the contest 6-5 behind a huge three-run RBI by senior Jordan Hopkins and big four-out save by closer Cain Sloan.
Facing Jacksonville State in game one of a three-game set, the Golden Eagles came out on top of contest featuring nine lead changes, rallying from a 6-5 deficit in the sixth and 8-7 deficit in the eighth to take yet another come-from-behind victory, 10-8.
In by far their most impressive comeback victory, the Golden Eagles posted four runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally from a one-run deficit and down No. 5 Arizona State, 7-4. Tech led 2-0 early after a two-run homer by Chase Chambers, but the Sun Devils scored four unanswered runs to take a 4-2 advantage into the seventh inning. Tech nabbed one run in the seventh, before mounting the incredible comeback in the ninth.
Tech tallied two comeback victories over the first-place Redhawks in Cape Girardeau, Mo., starting with a fifth-inning rally in game two. Trailing 5-2 entering the fifth frame, the squad scored three runs to square things at 5-5 before dropping four more in the sixth and one each in the seventh and eighth innings to walk out with an 11-5 W.
The next day the Golden Eagles did it again, trailing 6-2 heading into the sixth inning. That hardly mattered as the squad dropped a six spot in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead. They then added three important insurance runs to hold on for an 11-10 victory.
FRESHMAN FOCUS
Freshman Ryan Flick, Tech's designated hitter, has been a huge boon to the offense all season long. Number 11 leads the Golden Eagles with 49 RBI on the year (which also ranks in the top 10 in the OVC), thanks to a slugging percentage of .542 and 23 extra base hits. He also leads the team with nine home runs.
Fellow freshman Chase Chambers owns a .269 average, slugging .456 along the way. He has drawn a team-high 29 walks and tallied a .397 on base percentage this season. The first baseman also ranks third on the squad with six home runs and 33 RBI.
MR. 300
With a 14-2 win over Northern Illinois on Feb. 28, head coach Matt Bragga earned his 300th career victory, just the second coach in program history to accomplish the feat. He currently ranks second to Hall of Fame coach David Mays in total wins.
Photo by Tony Marable
