By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Big hits and patience at the plate led the Tennessee Tech baseball team to a big win in its Ohio Valley Conference opener at Morehead State Saturday evening, as the Golden Eagles (9-15, 1-0) outlasted the Eagles (13-12, 3-1) in a 10-inning barn-burner at Allen Field, 17-12.
The purple and gold piled up seven extra-base hits and drew a whopping 13 walks on the day, using the patient approach to set up some big innings, including a timely, five-run 10th. Four home runs were part of that impressive total, with the Golden Eagles taking advantage of a whipping wind on the day.
After sweeping Southern Indiana last weekend, Morehead seemed destined to come away with another OVC victory after clawing back from a seven-run deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh. Tech had other plans, however, plating five runs in the 10th to leave no doubt and snap a six-game skid in the process.
The Golden Eagles got off to a fast start in the contest, scoring six times over the opening free frames. After a quick out in the first, catcher Hayden Gilliland drew a five-pitch walk to set up third baseman Peyton Mills for a big swing.
The slugger answered the bell, crushing a two-run blast to put the Tech crew up 2-0 early. It marked his team-leading 10th of the season and moved him into sole possession of first on the OVC's home run charts.
In the second, the Golden Eagles went back to the long ball, as center fielder Nicho Jordan smashed his third tank of the season for a solo shot and 3-0 lead. Tech kept things rolling in the third, with Mills leading off the frame with a walk.
Two batters later, second baseman Troy Baunsgard singled and Mills moved all the way to third after an error by the home Eagles. Mills came home safely during the next at-bat via a wild pitch for a 4-0 advantage. First baseman John Dyer blew open the ball game with a two-run smash, making it a 6-0 Tech lead.
Morehead finally answered back in the fourth, scoring four times on just a pair of hits, but also four walks and a hit-by-pitch in the frame. The Golden Eagles responded to the right cross with an uppercut of their own, tallying four more of their own in the top of the fifth.
Mills led off the inning with a base knock and left fielder Preston Ford moved him to third with a double. Two batters later, Dyer drove in a run with a base hit, his third RBI of the contest. After a walk to designated hitter Kayne Jinks, right fielder Theo Bryant IV followed with a two-run single. Shortstop wrapped up the scoring with an RBI ground out later in the frame, moving the Tech lead back to six at 10-4.
The home squad picked up a lead-off dinger in the fifth to take back a run in the fifth, but the purple and gold answered once more in the seventh. Dyer led off the frame with his second jack of the night and fifth of the season. The round-tripper also represented the 29th of his career, moving him into a tie for 12th in program history with former Golden Eagle third baseman Trevor Putzig.
A two-out double off the bat of Jordan forced a pitching change for the Eagles, but Spardone pounced immediately on the new home hurler with an RBI single for a 12-5 lead. With Tech firmly in front, the Morehead bats went to work.
The Eagles led off the bottom of the seventh with a long ball and followed it with four runs on three hits, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch in the eighth. Back-to-back doubles to lead off the ninth moved Morehead to within a run of the purple and gold, and the runner at second would go on to tie the ball game, scoring all the way from the bag on a failed pickoff attempt by Tech's Jacob Morin.
The Tech hurler centered himself following the play, gathering three quick outs to take the contest to extra innings and allow the Golden Eagle offense to back to work.
Jackson Green pinch hit and drew a lead-off walk for the purple and gold, advancing to second on a bunt single by Baunsgard. A strikeout to Dyer led to the eventual winning run for Tech, as Green stole third and subsequently scored on a throwing error by the Morehead catcher, putting the visitors up 13-12.
Tech continued to attack, as Austin Turner pinch-hit and drew a free pass. Baunsgard scored during the next at-bat thanks to a wild pitch, as Bryant eventually drew a walk of his own to put a pair on. A pitching change for the home Eagles did little to quell the Golden Eagles' patience though, as Jordan took a free trip to first to load the bases.
Spardone made it four straight walks for the Tech offense, driving in a run the easy way for a 15-12 lead. Morehead managed a second out in the frame before Mills drove in two more insurance runs with a two-run single for a 17-12 advantage.
Morin made quick work of the Morehead order in the 10th, sandwiching a pop-up to second base with strikeouts to open and end the inning. The junior right-hander picked up his first win as a Golden Eagle after three innings and one earned run allowed. He also struck out five batters in the contest.
Dyer led the offensive effort with a 4-for-6 day, two dingers, three runs, and four RBI. Mills also drove in four thanks to three hits and tallied three runs and three walks. Baunsgard managed a three-hit day while Spardone racked up two with three RBI. Jordan scored three times behind two hits and three walks of his own.
The purple and gold will wrap up its OVC-opening series with Morehead State on Sunday with a doubleheader slated to kick off at 11:30 a.m. CT at Allen Field. The second contest, which will be a scheduled seven-inning ball game due to the league's travel policy, will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one or around 2:30 p.m.
File photo by Alabama Athletic Communications
