By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – A pair of big innings proved too much for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to overcome Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles (11-15, 5-8) fell on the road to Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri, 7-3, at Capaha Field.
The purple and gold got on the board early thanks to the power of junior slugger Jason Hinchman. The center fielder crushed a solo shot to left field, his fourth round-tripper of the season. It also represented the 37th of his career, tying the Winston, Ga. native for fifth place on Tech's all-time career charts for home runs.
The Redhawks answered in the bottom half, scoring three runs on a two-out double to take a 3-1 lead. Tech cut the home team's advantage down to one in the top of the third thanks to an RBI double to left-center field off the bat of first baseman Golston Gillespie.
The score would remain 3-2 until the fifth, when SEMO used its only other inning of production to put the game away for good. Three straight hits to open the frame gave the home squad an early run. A sacrifice fly provided another while the final two of the inning came off doubles.
Both sides traded zeroes on the scoreboard until Tech struck one more time in the eighth. Gillespie led off the frame with a double to right-center field. Two batters later, senior Gavin Johns laced a double down the right-field line to drive in his teammate.
Senior hurler Jacob Parham tossed three and one-third innings to finish the contest for the Golden Eagles, scattering one hit and one walk while holding the Redhawks off the scoreboard. He also struck out four SEMO batters.
Second baseman Brett Roberts led the way with the sticks with three hits in five at-bats while Gillespie joined him with a multi-hit affair.
The series between the Golden Eagles and Redhawks will conclude Saturday, with doubleheader action slated to kick off at 1:00 p.m. CT. Game two is set for an approximate 4:00 p.m. first pitch.
File photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
