By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Weekend Preview (Mar. 10)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team continues its four-game road trip with a visit to Hammond, La. and a three-game series against Southeastern Louisiana beginning Friday, Mar. 11 at 12:00 p.m. CT.
Game two is set for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch on Saturday while Sunday will feature the series finale at 1:00 p.m. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ with Chase Gispert (play-by-play), Jermaine Kelly (analyst), and Mackenzie Fletcher (field reporter) on the call.
The purple and gold enter the match-up after dropping its first contest of the season against Auburn at Toyota Field, 4-3. The Golden Eagles had turned in a 10-0 start, the team's second-best in program history. As a team, Tech ranks fourth nationally with a .348 batting average, ninth in scoring at 10.2 runs per game, and seventh with a .560 slugging percentage.
Tech's 1.91 home runs per game also rank ninth nationally, while the 21 total round-trippers rank 12th. Additionally, the team ranks ninth in the country with a .444 on-base percentage.
Individually, leadoff man and shortstop Ed Johnson paces the nation with 2.27 hits per game and ranks second nationally with 1.73 runs scored per game and third with 25 total hits. He leads Tech with a .455 average and 19 runs while smashing three home runs and driving in 15.
Left fielder Jason Hinchman enters the contest as the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week and a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week after slugging four home runs in four games, batting .550, and driving in 10 runs last weekend. The Winston, Ga. native has slashed .423/.483/.769 this season while leading the OVC with five dingers and ranking second with 19 RBI. On Sunday, he tied Chase Chambers (2015-18) for fifth on Tech's all-time career home run list, boasting 49 in his career thus far.
Southeastern Louisiana also suffered a midweek loss on Wednesday, falling at Louisiana Tech 13-1. The Lions are 5-8 on the year, including a 4-4 mark at home. SLU opened the year taking 2-of-3 from Tech's Ohio Valley Conference rival, SIUE. They also defeated No. 3 Arkansas in that series opener, 7-3.
On the year, SLU has hit .192 with 45 runs in 13 games. The Lions have turned in a 6.24 ERA with 109 strikeouts and a .290 batting average against in 114 innings.
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Tennessee Tech at Southeastern Louisiana | Friday, Mar. 11, 12:00 PM
Hammond, La. | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field (2,000)
Tennessee Tech at Southeastern Louisiana | Saturday, Mar. 12, 2:00 PM
Hammond, La. | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field (2,000)
Tennessee Tech at Southeastern Louisiana | Sunday, Mar. 13, 1:00 PM
Hammond, La. | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field (2,000)
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2022 Record: 10-1
2022 OVC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 456-393-2 (16th Season)
Career: 507-469-3 (19th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Ed Johnson (.455)
2B: Ed Johnson / Gabe Lacy (4)
3B: Austin Turner (1)
HR: Jason Hinchman (5)
RBI: Jason Hinchman (19)
R: Ed Johnson (19)
BB: Hayden Gilliland / Will Long (10)
SLG%: Jason Hinchman (.769)
OB%: Gabe Lacy (.508)
SB: Jackson Green / Austin Turner (1)
ERA: Brock Myers (1.29)
W: Brock Myers (3)
APP: 3 players tied (4)
IP: Peyton Calitri (18.1)
K: Connor Adams / Peyton Calitri (12)
BAA: Carter Gannaway (.175)
SV: 3 players tied (1)
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA LIONS
2022 Record: 5-8
2022 SLC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Matt Riser
SLU: 265-168 (9th Season)
Career: Same
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Evan Keller (.298)
2B: Preston Faulkner (4)
3B: 3 players tied (1)
HR: 5 players tied (1)
RBI: Preston Faulkner / Evan Keller (7)
R: Evan Keller (8)
BB: Shea Thomas (11)
SLG%: Preston Faulkner (.435)
OB%: Evan Keller (.441)
SB: Evan Keller (7)
ERA: Will Kinzeler (2.12)
W: Will Kinzeler (2)
APP: 4 players tied (6)
IP: Will Kinzeler (17.0)
K: Hunter O'Toole (21)
BAA: Hayden Robb (.240)
SV: Trey Harrington / Gage Trahan (2)
Photo by Jim Dillon
