By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – It came down to 10 innings again, but the Tennessee Tech baseball team claimed victory in extra innings over in-state rival ETSU Saturday, outscoring the Buccaneers 10-9 to take the weekend series.
Less than 24 hours after securing a 4-2 win in 10 frames over ETSU, behind a complete-game performance and 11 strikeouts from starter Peyton Calitri, it was the Tech offense and a reliever that provided the heroics in game two.
Right-handed hurler Colt Taylor closed out the final three frames of the night to pick up his second win of the year, using the advantage created by a big swing in the top of the 10th to deliver the series clincher. Working out of multiple jams, he struck out a pair and allowed his defense to flash the leather to the tune of double plays in the eighth and ninth.
With two outs in the top of the frame, Tech head coach Matt Bragga turned to the bench for spark and found one in junior John Dyer. Stepping in as a pinch-hitter, the eventual right-fielder took a pair of offering outside of the zone, waiting for the perfect chance to strike. On the third pitch, he found it, blasting a high fastball over the wall in left-center field for his third home run of the year and a 10-9 Tech lead.
The contest was a roller coaster for much of the day, with the home squad from Johnson City taking an early, 3-0 advantage in the first. Brock Myers came on in relief with two outs in the frame and lasted a total of five and two-thirds innings, scattering seven hits and three earned runs with three punch-outs.
Tech responded in the third, with shortstop Ed Johnson lacing a two-run triple to left-center field, his first three-bagger of the year. Third baseman Gabe Lacy continued things with an RBI single ripped down the third-base line to tie the game.
A base hit to left field by left fielder Jason Hinchman and a walk to first baseman Golston Gillespie loaded the bases for right fielder Ryan Guardino. The junior grounded out, driving in the go-ahead run before designated hitter Luke Jones followed with a sac fly to center field for a 5-3 lead.
ETSU answered right back, tying the ball game with two in the bottom half. A pair of knocks from Johnson and Lacy in the fourth gave Hinchman the opportunity to put Tech back on the top and the slugger delivered with an RBI single up the middle.
Once again, the Bucs squared things back up in the bottom half, using a home run to make it a 6-6- contest. In the fifth, it was the Golden Eagles continuing the up-and-down theme to the day, with Lacy drawing a bases-loaded walk to put the purple and gold back in front.
The Cookeville crew added to the lead in the seventh, with Lacy again at the forefront of it all. After two-out singles from center fielder Austin Turner and Johnson, the Tech third baseman smashed an 0-2 offering that one-hopped the wall in right-center field for a two-run double.
Trailing by three, ETSU prepared another hump in the roller coaster, scoring three runs to tie the game and put runners in scoring position. Reliever Frankie Cresta dug deep, striking out two of the last three batters to end the threat.
Johnson turned in a spectacular day at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, and a walk. Lacy connected for three hits and four RBI with a free pass while Hinchman snagged two knocks and a walk with an RBI.
The Golden Eagles will look to complete the series sweep on Sunday, with first pitch slated for a 12:00 p.m. CT start at Thomas Stadium.
File photo by Jim Dillon
