By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team will host its annual Alumni Day this Saturday, May 6 as the Golden Eagles play host to Ohio Valley Conference rival SIUE in the second tilt of a three-game series at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
There will be a tent and refreshments set up beginning at 12:00 p.m. CT for baseball alumni just inside the entrance of Bush Stadium. First pitch for Saturday's tilt with the Cougars is set for 2:00 p.m. as part of a three-game home series, which begins Friday at 6:00 p.m.
The Golden Eagles are wrapping up the 100th Anniversary of TTU Baseball after kicking off celebrations in January at the First Pitch Banquet where the All-Century Team was recognized along with other notable milestones throughout the program's history. Also celebrating OVC Championship anniversaries are the 1988 (35th), 2013 (10th), and 2018 (fifth) teams.
The 2018 team turned in arguably the greatest season in Ohio Valley Conference history, setting numerous league and program records, including a 53-12 record, a 27-3 conference mark, and a 28-game winning streak. The purple and gold went on to win not only the OVC regular season championship, but also became the first team in league history to earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Eagles also became the first OVC team to ever win an NCAA Regional, besting No. 2 nationally-ranked Ole Miss twice on its home field to advance to the league's first-ever Super Regional. Tech took the first contest against No. 5 Texas before falling to the Longhorns in the final two to finish one win away from a trip to Omaha.
The 2013 Tech squad broke the original program record for wins at 40-17 and set the previous league mark for wins in OVC action with a 24-6 showing on its way to the conference's regular season title. The 1988 Golden Eagle team captured the OVC's Southern Division crown, the program's fifth regular season championship, behind a remarkable 19-4 record in league action.
We encourage all of our baseball alumni to come to Bush Stadium this weekend and cheer on the Golden Eagles as they fight for a spot in the OVC Tournament in Marion, Ill. later this month. For more information about Alumni Day, please contact Kristie Phillips at kphillips@tntech.edu.
