By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Another explosive offensive performance propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to its best start since the 1955 campaign Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles (8-0) rolled past Purdue Fort Wayne in the series opener at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, 13-4.
The win moved the purple and gold to a perfect 8-0 on the year, officially representing the second-best start in program history and the best since the 1955 squad kicked off its season 14-0. Plating 13 runners on 15 hits, the Golden Eagles also recorded their seventh straight game scoring in double figures.
The visiting Mastodons were quick to the opening punch, using three straight hits to open the game and score the first run of the night. A sacrifice fly later in the frame put Purdue Fort Wayne up 2-0 after just an inning of work.
It took a few innings for the Tech offense to settle in, but once the bats found a rhythm, it was all she wrote. In the bottom of the third, shortstop Ed Johnson led off the frame with a double off the top of the wall in left field, narrowly missing a long ball. Two batters later, left fielder Jason Hinchman didn't miss, blasting a two-run bomb to left-center field to tie the game.
The round-tripper marked the third of the season for the senior slugger and the 47th of his career. He now sits just three away from passing Chase Chambers on the program's all-time career list and becoming just the fourth Golden Eagle in program history to smash 50.
Purdue Fort Wayne jumped back on top in the fourth, using a leadoff double and subsequent single to score once. The Mastodons double the lead to 4-2 on a defensive miscue by the Tech squad later in the inning.
It was all Tech from that point on. In the bottom half of the inning, the Golden Eagles loaded the bases with the first three batters. Following a pitching change, Johnson was quick to strike, ripping a single off the pitcher's thigh that trickled into right field. The screamer plated a pair to tie the game once more.
Third baseman Gabe Lacy made sure the go-ahead and eventual winning run crossed safely, grounding into a double play that allowed center fielder Austin Turner to score.
The purple and gold blew the game wide open in the fifth, with first baseman Golston Gillespie kicking things off with a single on the first pitch of the inning. A walk to designated hitter Hayden Gilliland set up Ryan Guardino for his first light show (the new lights at Quillen Field flash with each Tech home run) of the season.
The Wofford transfer demolished an 0-1 offering to left-center field for three runs, leaving no doubt about his first dinger as a Golden Eagle. Lacy made it five runs in the inning, lacing a double to right-center field to drive in pair and give Tech its seventh straight contest in double figures. Second baseman Nick Spardone added an RBI ground out in the sixth for good measure.
Starter Peyton Calitri was spectacular with the lead, allowing just one hit over the fifth and sixth innings. In the seventh, the Mastodons mounted a rally, loading the bags with just one out, but the right-hander dug deep and struck out the final two batters in the inning to keep the scoreboard clean.
The Tech hurler picked up his second win in as many weeks, completing seven frames while scattering eight hits and three earned runs with five punchouts.
Guardino provided one more set of fireworks in the eighth, crushing his second tater of the contest clear into the night sky in left-center field. Relievers Daniel Holley and Frankie Cresta each tallied an inning of work with two strikeouts to close out the contest.
Offensively, it was Guardino with the top showing on the night, driving in five with three hits in four at-bats. Nine different Golden Eagles collected hits in the game, with five producing multiple knocks. Johnson, Lacy, and Hinchman all managed a pair of RBI as well.
Game two of the series is slated for a 1:00 p.m. CT first pitch Saturday afternoon at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium.
Photo by Jim Dillon
