By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Six round-trippers provided more than enough of a cushion for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to continue its perfect start to the season Sunday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles (10-0) completed a series sweep of Purdue Fort Wayne (0-11) with a 15-7 victory at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
At 10-0, Tech is off to its second-best start in program history, trailing only the 14-0 mark put forth by the 1955 squad that finished the year 17-2. The Golden Eagles also represent one of just five teams still unbeaten in Division I baseball, including Clemson, Purdue, Virginia, and Wake Forest.
The offense was out in full force for the purple and gold on Sunday, providing a 10-0 lead after two innings that proved plenty for the Tech pitching staff to work with. Following a leadoff walk in the first to shortstop Ed Johnson, third baseman Gabe Lacy put the Tech squad on top for good, lacing a double to left-center field for an RBI.
Two batters later, first baseman Golston Gillespie ripped a double down the left-field line, plating Lacy for a 2-0 lead. Next at the plate, right fielder Ryan Guardino uncorked a 1-1 offering to right-center field for a monster, two-run home run to start the fireworks display for the Golden Eagles. His third dinger of the season and weekend provided Tech a 4-0 lead after one.
Things continued to trend well for the home team in the second, with the Golden Eagles scoring early on a throwing error by the Mastodons. After Lacy was hit by a pitch to load the bases, left fielder Jason Hinchman delivered yet another huge swing.
The senior slugger pulverized a full-count offering to left-center field, clearing the bases for his third career grand slam, third round-tripper of the weekend, and 49th tank of his career. With his fourth straight game with a blast, he tied Chase Chambers for fourth on the program's all-time career charts for home runs.
Hinchman's four-run circus clout increased the Tech advantage to 9-0, but the team wasn't finished in the inning. Three batters later, designated hitter John Dyer got in on the action propelling a solo nuke over the fence in left-center field, his first of the year. It provided the Golden Eagles their eighth game scoring in double figures this season.
After Purdue Fort Wayne got on the board with an unearned run in the third, the Cookeville crew gathered its next light show of the day. Center fielder Austin Turner deposited a wall-scraper to right field to lead off the bottom half, his first in the purple and gold.
The Mastodons plated four in the fourth cutting the deficit to 11-5, but Tech responded again over the next two frames. In the fourth, Dyer delivered his second moon shot of the ball game, this one a towering, solo blast to right-center field.
Lacy made it six tattoos for the Golden Eagles in the fifth, leading off the frame with a missile to deep, left-center field, his second of the season. After a double from Hinchman down the left-field line, Guardino brought him home two batters later with a sacrifice fly. Tech extended the lead back to nine.
In the sixth and seventh, Purdue Fort Wayne plated single runs, trying to climb back slowly. Tech collected one more marker in the seventh, with Hinchman singling to shortstop, advancing on a wild pitch and fielder's choice, and then scoring on another wild offering.
Hinchman led the offensive attack on the day, finishing 4-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. He tallied two doubles and the grand slam. Lacy turned in a 3-for-4 day with three runs and two RBI, with just a diving catch in center field robbing him of a perfect day at the dish. Second baseman Nick Spardone tallied three hits in five trips to the plate.
Five Golden Eagles delivered multiple hits in the contest while four drove in multiple runs and five scored at least twice.
Colt Taylor picked up his first win in a Tech uniform, providing an inning of scoreless relief. Right-hander Brock Myers earned his first save of the season after completing the final four and one-third frames of the contest. He struck out three and allowed just two earned runs on four hits.
Tech will put its perfect record on the line in a midweek tilt on Tuesday, heading to Huntsville, Ala. for a neutral-site match-up with 11-2 Auburn. First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. CT at Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Photo by Jim Dillon
