By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Weekend Preview (May 5)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team is set for a trip north and a three-game, Ohio Valley Conference series with SIUE, kicking off action against the Cougars Friday evening.
First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday at Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex. Saturday and Sunday both feature start times of 1:00 p.m. All three games are scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+ with Joe Pott on the call.
With inclement weather, including rain expected in the Edwardsville area Friday, fans should check TTUSports.com and Tech social media periodically for any updates concerning this weekend's series.
The Golden Eagles come into the weekend after a 1-2 showing against Eastern Illinois Friday and Saturday. After falling 12-6 in the opener, Tech split a doubleheader on Saturday with the Panthers, winning 15-11 and dropping a 14-9 series finale.
Right fielder Ryan Guardino continued his torrid stretch at the plate, collecting OVC co-Player of the Week accolades a week after earning a pair of National Player of the Week honors from Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA. During the week, the slugger smashed three home runs, drove in nine, and scored six times while batting .571 and slugging 1.286 in four games.
In his last seven games, Guardino is slashing .643/.647/1.750 with 10 home runs, 20 RBI, 16 runs scored, and four walks. He now boasts a single-season, program-record six games with multiple home runs, ranking second for a Golden Eagle career behind Kevin Strohschein's eight.
Slugger Jason Hinchman and Guardino have paced the Golden Eagle offense, ranking third and fourth nationally with 0.49 and 0.48 home runs per game, respectively. Hinchman's 20 dingers on the year rank fifth in the country. In the first game against EIU on Saturday, Hinchman set the new career standard for both the OVC and Golden Eagles for round-trippers, blasting Nos. 63 and 64 to pass former Tech greats Zach Stephens and Kevin Strohschein (both with 62). He also became just the second member of the purple and gold ever to boast two seasons with at least 20 pumps.
This season, the purple and gold rank third nationally in home runs per game (2.05), sixth in home runs (84), and 11th in slugging percentage (.525). Tech ranks in the top three in the league with a .303 batting average (first), .525 slugging percentage (first), .398 on-base percentage (second), 335 runs (first), 452 hits (second), 307 RBI (second), 84 home runs (first), 783 total bases (first), 47 hit-by-pitches (second), and 21 sacrifice flies (first).
SIUE enters the weekend after a 1-2 series at Murray State, falling 12-8 on Friday, capturing a 6-4 victory on Saturday, and losing 7-6 on Sunday. In last year's series in Cookeville, Tech swept the Cougars to close out the season, starting with a 9-4 decision in game one. Coming back for a doubleheader, the Golden Eagles triumphed 12-7 in game two before turning in a remarkable comeback in game three.
Trailing 12-8 in the ninth, senior Cody Littlejohn smashed a three-run dinger to left-center field, his third of the game, to pull tech within one. Tynan Shahidi tied the game with an RBI ground out to first base. Shortstop Ed Johnson played hero, blasting a single off the SIUE third baseman that plated the winning run for the walk-off victory.
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Tennessee Tech at SIUE | Friday, May 6, 5:00 PM
Edwardsville, Ill. | Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex (1,500)
Tennessee Tech at SIUE | Saturday, May 7, 1:00 PM
Edwardsville, Ill. | Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex (1,500)
Tennessee Tech at SIUE | Sunday, May 8, 1:00 PM
Edwardsville, Ill. | Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex (1,500)
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2022 Record: 22-19
2022 OVC Record: 6-9
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 468-411-2 (16th Season)
Career: 519-487-3 (19th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jason Hinchman (.385)
2B: Gabe Lacy (11)
3B: Austin Turner (3)
HR: Jason Hinchman (20)
RBI: Jason Hinchman (53)
R: Ed Johnson (43)
BB: Austin Turner (32)
SLG%: Ryan Guardino (.808)
OB%: Jason Hinchman (.478)
SB: Ed Johnson / Austin Turner (4)
ERA: Peyton Calitri (4.76)
W: 3 players tied (4)
APP: Colt Taylor (17)
IP: Peyton Calitri (64.1)
K: Peyton Calitri (47)
BAA: Connor Adams (.264)
SV: Jackson Berry (2)
SIUE COUGARS
2022 Record: 20-20
2022 OVC Record: 7-8
Head Coach: Sean Lyons
SIUE: 108-152 (6th Season)
Career: Same
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Josh Ohl (.335)
2B: Richie Well (15)
3B: Brett Johnson / Josh Ohl (2)
HR: Brett Johnson (15)
RBI: Brett Johnson / Richie Well (44)
R: Brett Johnson (42)
BB: Brett Johnson / Brennan Orf (21)
SLG%: Brett Johnson (.690)
OB%: Brennan Orf (.460)
SB: Connor Kiffer (10)
ERA: Kaid Karnes (2.47)
W: Kaid Karnes (5)
APP: Jake Bockenstedt (19)
IP: Brant Glidewell (63.0)
K: Kaid Karnes (56)
BAA: Kaid Karnes (.262)
SV: Jake Bockenstedt / Quinn Waterhouse (2)
Photo by Emily Armstrong
