By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Weekend Preview (Mar. 9)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team returns to Cookeville for a three-game, weekend slate against North Alabama, kicking off the series with a Friday contest at 3:00 p.m. CT at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Game two of the series is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch on Saturday while Sunday's series finale currently features a 1:00 p.m. start. With inclement weather expected in the area over the weekend, particularly on Sunday, fans are encouraged to check TTUSports.com and Tennessee Tech social media for any potential updates to this weekend's schedule.
Tech fell in its midweek match-up with No. 7 nationally-ranked Vanderbilt on Tuesday, dropping a 12-1 decision at Hawkins Field in Nashville. Prior to the Tuesday tilt, the purple and gold picked up a weekend series win over Queens University of Charlotte.
The Golden Eagles narrowly missed a sweep, as the Royals delivered a two-run, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth of last Friday's opener to defeat the TTU, 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.
North Alabama will visit Cookeville with its most recent action coming in a four-game series at Cincinnati last weekend. The Lions dropped all four contests to the Bearcats, including a pair of seven-inning tilts as a part of a doubleheader on Sunday.
UNA was walked off in the opener on Sunday, falling in eight frames 2-1. Cincinnati bested the Lions 9-0 in a seven-inning affair to open the weekend on Saturday and followed it by edging North Alabama, 9-8, in nine innings later in the evening. The weekend concluded with an 8-1 Cincinnati victory in the second game on Sunday.
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Current Weekend Schedule
Friday, Mar. 10 | 3:00 p.m. CT | vs. North Alabama | Live Stats
Saturday, Mar. 11 | 2:00 p.m. CT | vs. North Alabama | Live Stats
Sunday, Mar. 12 | 1:00 p.m. CT | vs. North Alabama | Live Stats
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2023 Record: 5-7
2023 OVC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 481-426-2 (17th Season)
Career: 532-502-3 (20th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Theo Bryant IV (.366)
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 / Hayden Gilliland (10)
SLG%: Theo Bryant IV (.634)
OB%: Theo Bryant IV (.473)
SB: Theo Bryant IV (2)
ERA: Brody Lanham (0.00)
W: Tyler Zarella (2)
APP: Colt Taylor (6)
IP: Peyton Calitri / Tyler Zarella (13.0)
K: Peyton Calitri (12)
BAA: Brody Lanham (.088)
SV: 3 players tied (1)
NORTH ALABAMA LIONS
2023 Record: 4-7
2023 ASUN Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Jad Prachniak
UNA: 4-7 (1st Season)
Career: 276-134-1 (10th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Kyle Machado (.333)
2B: Jonathan Lane (5)
3B: Jackson Ferrigno / Dominick McIntyre (1)
HR: Dominick McIntyre / Peyton Thomas (2)
RBI: Dominick McIntyre (10)
R: Dominick McIntyre (9)
BB: Jonathan Lane (13)
SLG%: Dominick McIntyre (.500)
OB%: Jonathan Lane (.500)
SB: Ethan Walker (2)
ERA: Raleigh Claunch / Carson Howard (1.80)
W: 4 players tied (1)
APP: 7 players tied (3)
IP: Jacob James (17.0)
K: Jacob James (17)
BAA: Raleigh Claunch (.118)
SV: 3 players tied (1)
Photo by Jim Dillon
