By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Midweek Preview (Mar. 6)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team wraps up its second four-game road stretch of the season with an in-state tilt at No. 7 nationally-ranked Vanderbilt Tuesday, competing with the Commodores in a 4:30 p.m. CT affair at Hawkins Field in Nashville.
The Golden Eagles took home a series win over first-time opponent Queens University of Charlotte over the weekend, picking up a pair of victories to close the set. Tech narrowly missed a sweep, as the Royals delivered a two-run, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth of Friday's opener to defeat the Golden Eagles 13-12.
The purple and gold rallied from a 4-0 deficit in Saturday's second match-up, plating two runs in the fifth and six runs in the seventh to walk away with an 8-6 dub to even the series. The Tech bats and pitching staff worked harmoniously on Sunday, clinching the series with a 13-2 clinic in Charlotte.
Senior Peyton Mills took home his first career Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honors on Monday after leading the Tech offense during the week. The Golden Eagle third baseman hit .353 and slugged 1.118 while mashing four home runs, scoring eight times, and driving in 12 in the team's four games.
The Tech bats came alive, producing an early lead the Cookeville crew never relinquished. The Golden Eagles dropped four runs in the first, with Peyton Mills doing the heavy lifting on the power of a three-run blast to left-center field.
Vanderbilt comes into Tuesday's action following a 2-1 finish at the Cambria College Classic up at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, home of the of NFL's Minnesota Vikings. Nebraska earned a 5-3 upset of the nation's No. 7 ranked squad to open the weekend, but the Vandy Boys answered the call on Saturday and Sunday.
In Saturday's match-up with No. 18 Maryland, the Commodores saw a 5-1 lead disappear in the fifth and faced a 7-6 deficit heading into the bottom of the ninth. Vanderbilt plated a pair, picking up the 8-7, walk-off win on a sac fly to left field. Vandy closed the weekend by tossing a combined no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Minnesota, with eventual National Pitcher of the Week Sam Hliboki fanning eight in three and two-thirds innings.
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Current Weekend Schedule
Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 4:30 p.m. CT | at No. 7 Vanderbilt | Live Video | Live Stats
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2023 Record: 5-6
2023 OVC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 481-425-2 (17th Season)
Career: 532-501-3 (20th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Theo Bryant IV (.395)
2B: Theo Bryant IV (5)
3B: Peyton Mills (1)
HR: Peyton Mills (4)
RBI: Peyton Mills (16)
R: Eddie Garza (12)
BB: Theo Bryant IV (10)
SLG%: Theo Bryant IV (.684)
OB%: Theo Bryant IV (.500)
SB: Theo Bryant IV (2)
ERA: Brody Lanham (0.00)
W: Tyler Zarella (2)
APP: Colt Taylor (5)
IP: Peyton Calitri / Tyler Zarella (13.0)
K: Peyton Calitri (12)
BAA: Brody Lanham (.088)
SV: 3 players tied (1)
VANDERBILT COMMODORES
2023 Record: 8-4
2023 SEC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Tim Corbin
VU: 849-404-1 (21st Season)
Career: 955-540-1 (26th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jonathan Vastine (.348)
2B: Jonathan Vastine (3)
3B: RJ Schreck (2)
HR: Alan Espinal (3)
RBI: Jonathan Vastine (10)
R: Davis Diaz (12)
BB: Enrique Bradfield Jr. (10)
SLG%: Jonathan Vastine (.543)
OB%: RJ Austin (.426)
SB: Enrique Bradfield Jr. (7)
ERA: Bryce Cunningham (0.00)
W: Devin Futrell (2)
APP: Ryan Ginther / Nick Maldonado (5)
IP: Carter Holton (14.1)
K: Hunter Owen (20)
BAA: Nick Maldonado (.087)
SV: Bryce Cunningham / Nick Maldonado (2)
Photo by Jim Dillon
