By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

Tennessee Tech Baseball Midweek Preview  (2/24)

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team wraps up four straight road games at Power-5 competition Tuesday afternoon, visiting the University of Kentucky for a 3:00 p.m. CT tilt.

This marks the first match-up between the Golden Eagles and Wildcats since the 2014 season, a contest that featured a then school-record 10 combined home runs between the two programs. Kentucky outlasted Tech, 15-13, in the slugfest, with a total of 31 hits compiled between both squads. Tech collected seven of the round-trippers, including a pair each from Zach Stephens, Daniel Miles and Dylan Bosheers and a solo shot from Jordan Parris.

The Golden Eagles enter play following three tough losses at No. 12 nationally-ranked NC State. Slugging first baseman Jason Hinchman still paces the Ohio Valley Conference and ranks second nationally with six long balls on the year. He also leads the league in batting average (560), slugging percentage (1.320) and total bases (33). Senior third baseman Gavin Johns ranks at the top of the OVC with five doubles while batting .381.

Kentucky enters the midweek affair after sweeping Appalachian State over the weekend and finishing 4-0 overall for the week. After defeating Tech rival Southeast Missouri 9-4 on Tuesday and snagging a pair of easy victories over the App State on Friday and Saturday, the Wildcats had to work hard to take the series finale. Kentucky outlasted the Mountaineers, 8-7, in a whopping 15 innings, earning the win on a walk-off, bases-loaded walk.

Tennessee Tech (3-3) at Kentucky (4-3)

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Tuesday, Feb. 25, 3:00 pm | Lexington, Ky. | Kentucky Proud Park (5,000) | STATS | VIDEO
TTU Ty Fisher (LHP)
0-0 | 0.00 ERA | 1.0 IP | 0 K | 0 BB
vs.
UK Braxton Cottongame (LHP)
0-0 | 7.36 ERA | 3.2 IP | 2 K | 4 BB

TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2020 Record: 3-3
2020 OVC Record: 0-0 (T-1st)
Head Coach: Steve Smith
TTU: 3-3 (1st Season)
Career: 747-526-1 (22nd Season)

STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jason Hinchman (.560)
2B: Gavin Johns (5)
3B: None
HR: Jason Hinchman (6)
RBI: Jason Hinchman (9)
R: Jason Hinchman (8)
BB: Brett Roberts (3)
SB: Jason Hinchman (2)
ERA: Ty Fisher (0.00)
W: Mark Leonard / Grant Philips / Trey Wright (1)
APP: 11 players tied (2)
IP: Connor Adams / Alex Hursey (7.2)
K: Alex Hursey (11)
SV: Brock Myers / Tyler Sylvester (1)

KENTUCKY WILDCATS
2020 Record: 4-3
2020 SEC Record: 0-0 (T-1st)
Head Coach: Nick Mingione
UK: 107-77 (4th Season)
Career: Same

STATS LEADERS
AVG: Trae Harmon (.389)
2B: John Rhodes / Austin Schultz (3)
3B: John Rhodes / Austin Schultz (1)
HR: Trae Harmon (1)
RBI: Austin Schultz (10)
R: Trae Harmon / Austin Schultz / Jaren Shelby (7)
BB: Jaren Shelby (5)
SB: Austin Schultz (2)
ERA: Alex Degen / Will Gambino (0.00)
W: 4 players tied (1)
APP: 5 players tied (3)
IP: Jimmy Ramsey (9.1)
K: Alex Degen (11)
SV: Alex Degen (1)

Photo by Thomas Corhern