By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Remarkable pitching efforts from two hurlers helped the Tennessee Tech baseball team outlast Ohio Valley Conference and in-state rival Belmont Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles (26-21, 13-12) took down the Bruins (28-22, 14-11) in a pivotal match-up, 6-4, in 13 innings.
Coming off his first career OVC Pitcher of the Week honor, junior starter Michael Wood followed it up with an even more impressive showing, tossing nine complete innings on 138 pitches. The right-hander allowed three runs, just two of them earned, on six hits and one walk while striking out a new career-high 11 batters.
The Golden Eagles gave Wood a quick 2-0 lead to work with in the top of the third frame as freshman sensation Kevin Strohschein continued his incredible rookie campaign by blasting a two-run shot to left center field, his 13th on the year. The Bruins answered in the bottom half, however, using a leadoff double and Tech throwing error to plate two run, including one unearned, and knot things up headed to the fourth.
Sophomore slugger Chase Chambers quickly flipped the script in the top half of the frame, crushing his sixth long ball of the year, a solo dinger, to right field. In the blink of an eye, the Golden Eagles were back on top, 3-2.
Wood cruised over the next two innings, but one mistake in the bottom of the sixth proved enough for the contest to return to square one. After retiring the first two batters of the frame on just three pitches, the Tech hurler left one in a slightly too friendly location in the zone, allowing Hunter Holland to pop a game-tying home run to left field.
The Tech starter recovered quickly, surrendering just one more hit along the way while fanning six of the next 11 batters. The offense actually set up Wood for the victory in the 10th frame, using a leadoff double off the bat of Strohschein to set up a scoring play on an error by the Belmont defense.
Freshman Ethan Roberts came on to attempt the save in the contest, but the Bruins weren't ready to call it a night just yet. The home squad spit out three hits in the bottom half, plating one on a single from Tyler Fullerton to once again even things up, this time at 4-4.
Roberts bounced back following the hit, striking out his second batter to end the frame and the threat. He never looked back either. The youngster dug deep on the hill and allowed just two more hits over the next three innings. More impressively, he punched out eight more Bruins with no walks for a career-high 10 strikeouts on the evening.
With the rookie in cruise control on the mound, it was simply a matter of time before the Tech offense would provide the necessary damage to snag game one of the series from its in-state rival, and it all started in the top of the 13th.
Redshirt freshman Alex Junior laced a single to right field to kick off the frame and promptly advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt laid down by senior Jake Farr to set up Strohschein with a runner in scoring position. Belmont refused to let the rookie be the one to play hero, however, intentionally walking the right fielder for the second time in the contest to set up a double play possibility.
Junior Tyler Brazelton took his turn in the box, entering the contest as a pinch hitter, and managed to reach base on a fielding error at second base. With the bases loaded, sophomore third baseman Trevor Putzig looked to make something happen, but a line drive straight to shortstop made for a quick second out.
In stepped Chambers looking to spark the Golden Eagles for a second time much like he did in the fourth inning. The slugger delivered, ripping a 1-1 offering into right center field to plate two Tech runs and give his squad a 6-4 lead.
It proved more than enough for a white-hot Roberts to pick up his sixth victory of the year, as the freshman fanned two more Bruins in the bottom half, including the final batter of the contest.
Offensively, the day belonged to Chambers, who finished 3-for-6 with three RBI, a walk and run scored. Strohschein tallied two RBI while scoring three times on a 2-for-5 showing, which included two intentional free passes. Sophomore shortstop David Garza gathered three hits in seven at bats as well.
The Golden Eagles and Bruins are set to square off in game two Saturday afternoon, with Jake Usher manning the mound for Tech in the 1 p.m. CT tilt.
Photo by Tony Marable
