By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It was just one of those nights for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Tuesday, as the Golden Eagles dropped an in-state affair with Lipscomb at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, 21-7.
The Bisons got off to a quick start and never looked back, plating four runs in the first, two in the second, and one more in the third for a 7-0 lead early. Another one in the fourth made it 8-0 before the Golden Eagles broke through for their own offensive showing.
In the bottom half, the home squad loaded the bases with a single out, setting up second baseman Nick Spardone for a sacrifice fly and the first Tech RBI of the night. Lipscomb responded with four more in the fifth, moving in front 12-1.
The Golden Eagles took their turn in the bottom half and looked to build some momentum with the bats, pinch hitter Cy Kerber singled to center field with one out, and left fielder Jason Hinchman followed with a base knock through the left side.
With two outs, pinch hitter Jackson Green got plunked, loading the bags for another pinch hitter, Nathaniel Allen. The insert at designated hitter reached on a miscue by the Bisons, allowing one run to score. Hayden Gilliland also pinch-hit in the inning, peppering a single to left field that drove in a pair and cut the deficit to 12-4.
Lipscomb kept its momentum rolling with another four-spot in the sixth, moving in front by 12. Tech cut it to a 10-run game in the seventh, with first baseman Luke Jones crushing a solo bomb to left-center field on the first pitch he saw. Gilliland drove in another run with an RBI single to second base later in the frame.
Jones went yard again in the eighth, hammering his second long ball of the game and third of the year down the left-field line, sneaking one inside the foul pole.
The Bisons scored five more in the ninth, providing the final 21-7 score.
Gilliland led Tech with three RBI on two hits while Jones also tallied a pair of ribbies with his two dingers. Hinchman represented the third Golden Eagle with multiple hits. On the mound, Caleb Pearson tossed a scoreless frame while Travis Odom completed one and two-thirds innings without allowing a run. Both pitchers held Lipscomb without a hit as well.
Tech returns to the road for a three-game set with in-state rival ETSU, beginning Friday, Apr. 18 at 5:00 p.m. CT. Game two of the series is slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch while Sunday's finale features 12:00 p.m. start.
File photo by Jim Dillon
