By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – It was a walk-off heartbreaker for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Saturday afternoon, as SIUE plated the winning run of a 4-3 ballgame in the bottom of the 11th inning at Roy E. Field at Simmons Baseball Complex) to even the Ohio Valley Conference series at 1-1.
Much like Friday night's affair, the Golden Eagles (23-20, 7-10) dented the dish first, plating one in the first for the early, 1-0 lead. Following a two-out single to right field by left fielder Jason Hinchman, right fielder Ryan Guardino produced an RBI double down the left-field line.
The Cougars (21-21, 8-9) answered in the fourth with a solo run on a double steal and took its first lead of the series in the fifth, using an RBI single through the left side. In the sixth, Tech turned in its rebuttal.
After a walk to second baseman Nick Spardone and a sac bunt by center fielder Austin Turner, shortstop Ed Johnson singled to right field to put runners on the corners. Third baseman Gabe Lacy blistered a single to center field, squaring the tilt 2-2.
Tech took its turn on top of the roller coaster in the eighth, with turner leading things off with a four-pitch walk. The speedster swiped second to put a runner in scoring position. Turner scored on a fielder's choice and throwing error by the SIUE hurler, propelling the purple and gold back on top, 3-2.
Once again, SIUE had an answer, tying the game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly to right field. It was much of the same in the 11th, with the Cougars using another sac fly, this one to left field, to walk off with a 4-3 victory.
Both Lacy and Guardino tallied multiple hits and an RBI to lead the Tech offense. Brock Smith tossed four and one-third frames with three strikeouts, allowing just two earned runs. Tyler Sylvester completed two and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit and no runs with three punch-outs.
The rubber match between the two teams is slated for a 1:00 p.m. CT start Sunday afternoon.
File photo by Emily Armstrong
