By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Weekend Preview (Apr. 28)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team makes its return to Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex for a three-game, Ohio Valley Conference series against Eastern Illinois starting Friday evening.
First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. CT for game one while game two will feature a 1:00 p.m. start on Saturday. The series will wrap up on Sunday with another 1:00 p.m. tilt. All three games are scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+ with Dylan Vazzano on the call.
Tech comes into the weekend following a loss Tuesday evening to in-state foe Lipscomb. The Bisons defeated Tech 10-2, limiting the typically potent Golden Eagle offense to five hits.
Right fielder Ryan Guardino was named a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week powered by Diamond Sports and a Dick Howser Trophy NCBWA National Player of the Week presented by The Game Headware after making history over the weekend. He smashed seven home runs in the three-game series, becoming the first Tech player with multiple dingers in three straight games and recording the most dingers over a three-game span in school history.
Batting .588 and slugging 1.824 with 11 RBI and 10 runs scored, Guardino also tied the program's single-game home run record, blasting three round trippers in Saturday's contest. He became just the 11th different Golden Eagle to do so.
This season, the purple and gold rank sixth nationally in home runs per game (1.89), 11th in home runs (72), and 21st in slugging percentage (.505). Tech ranks in the top three in the league with a .297 batting average (third), .505 slugging percentage (second), .394 on-base percentage (second), 305 runs (second), 408 hits (second), 277 RBI (second), 72 home runs (first), 695 total bases (first), 189 walks (second), 45 hit-by-pitches (first), and 20 sacrifice flies (first).
Slugger Jason Hinchman has paced the Golden Eagle offense, ranking seventh nationally with 0.46 home runs per game and 17 total dingers. His 61 career round-trippers are just one shy of tying both the program and OVC records held by former Golden Eagles Zach Stephens and Kevin Strohschein.
Eastern Illinois enters the series following a 7-4 victory at Illinois Wesleyan Wednesday evening. The Panthers were swept at home against Murray State last weekend in a trio of slugfests that yielded eye-popping scores of 17-10, 15-9, and 24-20.
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Tennessee Tech vs. Eastern Illinois | Friday, Apr. 29, 6:00 PM
Cookeville, Tenn. | Quillen Field/Bush Stadium (1,100)
Tennessee Tech vs. Eastern Illinois | Saturday, Apr. 30, 1:00 PM
Cookeville, Tenn. | Quillen Field/Bush Stadium (1,100)
Tennessee Tech vs. Eastern Illinois | Sunday, May 1, 1:00 PM
Cookeville, Tenn. | Quillen Field/Bush Stadium (1,100)
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2022 Record: 21-17
2022 OVC Record: 5-7
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 467-409-2 (16th Season)
Career: 518-485-3 (19th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jason Hinchman (.372)
2B: Gabe Lacy (10)
3B: Austin Turner (2)
HR: Jason Hinchman (17)
RBI: Jason Hinchman (49)
R: Ed Johnson (41)
BB: Austin Turner (28)
SLG%: Jason Hinchman (.756)
OB%: Jason Hinchman (.468)
SB: Austin Turner (4)
ERA: Peyton Calitri (3.77)
W: Connor Adams / Peyton Calitri (4)
APP: Colt Taylor (16)
IP: Peyton Calitri (62.0)
K: Peyton Calitri (45)
BAA: Connor Adams (.250)
SV: Jackson Berry (2)
EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS
2022 Record: 26-12
2022 OVC Record: 7-5
Head Coach: Jason Anderson
EIU: 129-137 (6th Season)
Career: Same
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Ryan Ignoffo (.431)
2B: Ryan Ignoffo (13)
3B: Nathan Aide (4)
HR: Ryan Ignoffo (11)
RBI: Ryan Ignoffo (43)
R: Lincoln Riley (39)
BB: Lincoln Riley (31)
SLG%: Ryan Ignoffo (.805)
OB%: Lucas DiLuca (.494)
SB: Logan Eickhoff (15)
ERA: Hayden Birdsong (3.54)
W: 4 players tied (4)
APP: Zane Robbins (20)
IP: Cameron Doherty (52.2)
K: Trevor Nicholson (67)
BAA: Hayden Birdsong (.216)
SV: Zane Robbins (11)
Photo by Emily Armstrong
