By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Defensive struggles and inconsistency on the mound proved too much for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to overcome Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fell in game two of their weekend series against in-state rival ETSU at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, 13-4.

On the day, the purple and gold made seven errors in the field, leading to five unearned runs for the Buccaneers. The Tech pitching staff also issued 13 walks, battling baserunners throughout the contest.

ETSU (9-8) took the early lead on the day, scoring the first run of the game on a wild pitch in the opening frame. Golden Eagle hurler Hunter Mann rebounded in the second and third innings, recording three straight outs in the second and striking out the side in the third for three of his season-high seven punch outs in the contest.

In the bottom of the third, Tech evened the score, with shortstop Nick Spardone lacing an RBI single to center field. The Bucs jumped back on top in the fourth, taking advantage of one of Tech's defensive miscues to plate an unearned run.

ETSU scored twice more in the fifth and produced another three in the sixth, including two more unearned markers. The Golden Eagles fought back in the bottom half, with third baseman Peyton Mills leading things off with a solo home run to right field.

Spardone made it two runs in the frame, lacing an RBI single to right-center field to cut the deficit to 7-3. Three more Golden Eagle errors in the seventh led to four runs for the Bucs, putting the game all but out of reach at 11-3.

Tech got one more run back in the eighth, thanks to an RBI ground out by center fielder Austin Turner. ETSU plated its final two runs in the ninth, using two more TTU defensive mistakes to score a pair of unearned runs for the 13-4 final.

Leading the Tech offense with two hits and two RBI was Spardone, hitting out of the leadoff spot. Eight other Golden Eagles picked up hits on the day.

Due to expected cold temperatures, the series finale has been moved back one hour to a 2:00 p.m. CT first pitch Sunday afternoon at Quillen Field.

File photo by Jim Dillon