By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Weekend Preview (Feb. 16)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team is set to kick off the 2023 season, playing host to Bowling Green Friday afternoon in a 3:00 p.m. CT tilt at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex. The series will continue with a 2:00 p.m. affair Saturday and conclude on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. contest.
Four-time Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year Matt Bragga returns for his 17th overall season at the help of the Golden Eagle program and second after making his return to Cookeville last season. In 2022, the purple and gold turned in a 30-27 overall record and clinched a berth in the OVC Tournament for the first time since 2018, Bragga's final season in his first stint with the team.
Tech won three games at the league tournament in Lexington, Ky., advancing to the semifinals before being eliminated by eventual champion Southeast Missouri. While the Golden Eagles will replace each of the top-four producers from the lineup last season, there's still plenty of veteran bats, as well as pitching, back for the 100th anniversary season for the purple and gold.
Leading the charge will be starting pitcher Peyton Calitri, the team leader in wins (six) and starts (15), and one of two Preseason All-OVC Team selections for the Tech squad. The right-hander also posted team-highs of 85 and two-thirds innings work, 61 strikeouts, and a 5.04 ERA among qualified pitchers.
Also collecting an appearance on the Preseason All-OVC team was catcher Hayden Gilliland, who posted strong numbers across the board while splitting time at catcher and designated hitter last season. The junior hit .313 with six doubles, five home runs, and 31 RBI while providing strong defense behind the dish.
Joining Tech's Preseason All-OVC selections as veteran leaders are first baseman John Dyer and center fielder Austin Turner. Dyer enters his fifth season with the program ranked tied for 15th on the team's all-time career home run list with 24 blasts to his credit. Last season, the slugger hit .290 with 10 doubles, 12 long balls, and 31 RBI to go along with a .607 slugging percentage and .383 on-base percentage.
Turner started all but three games in center field for the purple and gold a year ago and heads into the 2023 season expected to serve as Tech's leadoff hitter. Last year, the junior batted .281 with 52 runs scored, six doubles, four home runs, four triples, and 23 RBI. He led the team with 46 walks, finished 5-for-8 on stolen-base attempts, and turned in a stellar .986 fielding percentage.
The Golden Eagles and Falcons have met just four times previously in program history with the series even at 2-2 and all four games played in Cookeville. The first meeting came in 1962 with an 18-9 Falcons win in eight innings. The second meeting was played 40 years later in 2002 with another Bowling Green win, this time in a 10-8 final. Tech then won a pair of games during the 2013 season, capturing 10-4 and 8-5 scores before the finale was cancelled due to a snow storm.
The Falcons are coming off an 18-34 season in 2022 during head coach Kyle Hallock's second season, including a 14-24 mark in Mid-American Conference play.
Twitter: @TNTech_Baseball
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Current Weekend Schedule
Friday, Feb. 17 | 3:00 p.m. CT | vs. Bowling Green
Saturday, Feb. 18 | 2:00 p.m. CT | vs. Bowling Green
Sunday, Feb. 19 | 1:00 p.m. CT | vs. Bowling Green
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2022 Record: 30-27
2022 OVC Record: 11-13
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 476-419-2 (17th Season)
Career: 527-495-3 (20th Season)
RETURNING STATS LEADERS
AVG: Hayden Gilliland (.313)
2B: John Dyer (10)
3B: Austin Turner (4)
HR: John Dyer (12)
RBI: John Dyer / Hayden Gilliland (31)
R: Austin Turner (52)
BB: Austin Turner (46)
SLG%: John Dyer (.607)
OB%: Hayden Gilliland (.440)
SB: Austin Turner (5)
ERA: Peyton Calitri (5.04)
W: Peyton Calitri (6)
APP: Colt Taylor (20)
IP: Peyton Calitri (85.2)
K: Peyton Calitri (61)
BAA: Brock Smith (.253)
SV: Colt Taylor (1)
BOWLING GREEN FALCONS
2022 Record: 18-34
2022 MAC Record: 14-24
Head Coach: Kyle Hallock
BGSU: 38-64 (3rd Season)
Career: 482-530-3 (21st Season
RETURNING STATS LEADERS
AVG: Kyle Gurney (.330)
2B: Jack Krause (13)
3B: Nathan Archer (5)
HR: Kyle Gurney / Jack Krause (9)
RBI: Jack Krause (39)
R: Jack Krause (41)
BB: Kyle Gurney (26)
SLG%: Kyle Gurney (.542)
OB%: Kyle Gurney (.424)
SB: Adam Fallon (21)
ERA: Gage Schenk (5.62)
W: Gage Schenk / Peyton Wilson (3)
APP: Levi Gazarek (16)
IP: Gage Schenk (64.0)
K: Gage Schenk (59)
BAA: Gage Schenk (.243)
SV: Owen Recker / Peyton Wilson (1)
Photo by Jim Dillon
