By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
CHARLESTON, Ill. – It was a successful and rather methodical game one for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles (16-12, 7-6) captured an 8-3 victory in its Ohio Valley Conference series-opener at Eastern Illinois (5-24, 1-9).
The Golden Eagle offense scored early and when it had to in the contest, providing a 2-0 lead into the second and breaking the game wide open with five runs over the fourth and fifth frames. The Panthers answered to tie the game with a single run in each of the second and third innings, but the Tech bats were too much in the middle third of the contest, providing plenty of room for the win.
On the hill, junior Chase Burkett (3-3) was extremely effective while garnering his third victory of the season, tossing six full innings while scattering six hits. The right-hander surrendered two runs, just one of which was earned, and fanned four with just a single walk.
Redshirt junior Kit Fowler came on for the final three frames of the contest, garnering his first career save while holding the Panthers to just one more run in the contest. He also struck out four EIU batters and held the offense to just three hits.
Offensively, it all started at the top with redshirt freshman Alex Junior, who tied a program record by setting the table with four walks in the contest. The centerfielder scored twice on the day while swiping his team-best eighth bag of the season.
Junior Matt Jones was the difference-maker on the day, posting a 2-for-5 showing with three RBI and three runs scored. With the score tied at 2-2 headed into the top of the fifth, the third baseman ripped a single up the middle to drive in Junior as the go-ahead run. A ground out off the bat of sophomore Ryan Flick doubled the Tech advantage to two runs.
Jones then struck again in the sixth frame, approaching the plate after an RBI fielder's choice by senior Jake Farr. On the first pitch he saw, the righty ripped ball to left center field and cleared the fence for a two-run dinger and his third long ball of the season.
The 7-2 lead proved to be more than enough as the two sides traded single runs over the final three innings.
Junior catcher Chris Brown lived on the base paths all day, going 3-for-4 with his first career triple as well as an RBI. Freshman sensation Kevin Strohschein, who entered play hot off a record-setting performance at Alabama A&M Tuesday, tallied two hits, including a double, in five trips to the plate. He added an RBI to the mix as well.
The series will wrap up with a doubleheader Saturday beginning with a noon CT start for game two. Game three will followe roughly 30 minutes following the conclusion of game two. Sunday's game was moved to Saturday due to impending inclement weather.
Photo by Jim Dillon
