By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Patience at the plate wasn't enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to hold on to an early lead Friday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fell in their series-opening contest with North Alabama, 6-5, at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Tech took an early 1-0 lead in the second, with third baseman Peyton Mills and shortstop Troy Baunsgard each drawing walks. Two batters later, designated hitter Preston Ford laced an RBI single down the right-field line with a pair of outs to plate the first run of the contest.
The Lions answered in the third, using a pair of defensive miscues by the Cookeville crew to plate two, unearned runs and take a 2-1 advantage. Neither side could get much going in the fourth, but the Golden Eagle patience paid off in the fifth.
Catcher Hayden Gilliland led off the frame by drawing a free pass and second baseman Eddie Garza followed two batters later with a one-out base knock. Mills drew another walk to load the bases, prompting a pitching change by UNA.
Even with a new hurler on the mound, Tech kept its approach at the dish, as Baunsgard watched four of the next five pitches miss their mark for an RBI, bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Next up, first baseman John Dyer wore a 1-1 offering off his leg to drive in a go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.
Center fielder Jackson Green followed suit two batters later, also getting plunked on a 1-1 count to drive in one more for the home purple and gold. Left fielder Austin Turner eked out an infield single to third base to make it a 5-2 ball game before the Lions finally got out of the inning.
UNA scratched back in the seventh, using a one-out walk and a base hit to put the tying run at the plate. North Alabama's Kyle Machado took advantage of a small break in the wind, which was blowing in from center fielder all day, and smashed a game-tying home run to left-center field.
In the eighth, the Lions loaded the bases with two out and scored the eventual game-winning run on a wild pitch by the Golden Eagles. UNA attempted to score on another offering that momentarily got away from Gilliland, but the junior backstop alertly gathered the ball and tossed it to Tech hurler Jacob Morin to nab the runner at the plate for the final out of the inning.
Tech looked to rally in the ninth, picking up a pair of two-out base knocks up the middle off the bats of Baunsgard and Dyer, but North Alabama closed things down to pick up the first win of the weekend.
Six different Golden Eagles combined for the team's six hits on the day. Mills led Tech with two runs scored while finishing with three of the team's 10 walks on the day. Starter Peyton Calitri earned a no-decision after tossing six and one-third frames while allowing five total runs, including three earned, and striking out five.
The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 12:00 p.m. CT with inclement weather expected in Cookeville on Sunday. Both games will consist of nine innings with the second game to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest.
File photo by Jim Dillon
