By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A late-inning rally fell just short for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles fell in their Ohio Valley Conference opener at SIUE, 4-2.

It was a pitcher's duel at Roy Lee Park in Edwardsville, with both starters combining for 19 strikeouts in 13.0 total innings. Tech hurler Alex Hursey tossed a season-high six innings, working around 11 hits by the Cougars (6-6, 1-0) and allowing just three runs. He fanned seven while issuing a single walk and no extra-base hits.

SIUE ace Collin Baumgartner claimed the win over the Golden Eagles (3-9, 0-1), completing seven scoreless innings with 12 punch outs and just four hits allowed. The Cougars snagged a 1-0 lead in the third inning to give their starter room to work.

The home team added three more markers in the seventh and threatened with more, but Tech reliever Jacob Parham ended the frame without further damage. He then struck out a pair in the eighth while keeping his team in the hunt for a comeback.

Trailing 4-0 heading into the eighth, Tech began the rally with a walk drawn by freshman shortstop Brett Roberts. Senior left fielder Cody Littlejohn followed suit, earning his own free pass to put a pair of runners on for the top bat in the league entering OVC play.

Junior first baseman Jason Hinchman took his turn at the dish, patiently working a hitter's count before ripping a single through the left side. The hit drove in Roberts for the first Tech run of the game.

SIUE escaped the eighth without further damage, but the Golden Eagles weren't done. In the ninth, senior center fielder Anthony Carrera led off the frame with a double down the right-field line.

Two batters later, he scored to cut the deficit to two off an RBI single up the middle by freshman right fielder Theo Bryant IV. The rookie advanced a pair of bases on wild pitches, but SIUE reliever Cole Milam held off the Tech attack just long enough to give his team the win.

Leading the Golden Eagles on the day offensively was Roberts, who finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and a walk. Both Carrera and sophomore catcher Will Long tallied doubles on the day, the only extra-base hits of the contest.

Game two of the series is slated for a 1:00 p.m. CT first pitch on Saturday in Edwardsville, Ill.

Photo by Tony Marable