By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Midweek Preview (May 8)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team will hit the streets for its last road swing of the season, starting with the team's final midweek tilt of the year Tuesday evening at No. 16 nationally ranked Kentucky.
First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington. The contest is scheduled to be streamed live on SEC Network+.
The Golden Eagles head into the contest fresh off their first series sweep of the year, a 3-0 weekend over Ohio Valley Conference rival SIUE in Cookeville. Tech has also won seven of its past 10 tilts, dating back to the 12-5 triumph over No. 19 Tennessee on Apr. 18 in Knoxville.
Last weekend, the purple and gold opened the series with SIUE behind with a 14-9 victory, plating four runs in three different innings. Tech pounded out 17 hits in the win before attacking a Saturday doubleheader with the same offensive clout.
The Cookeville crew tallied another 11 hits to edge the Cougars in game two of the weekend, 7-5. Closing things out for the clean sweep, the bats racked up another 14 hits for a 9-7 win.
A key cog to the success of the Golden Eagles was reliever Jacob Morin, who tossed four innings across two appearances, securing saves in the opening two contests. The right-hander piled up four punch outs without issuing a walk and allowed just one hit and one unearned run on his way to OVC Pitcher of the Week honors.
Kentucky comes into the contest following a massive sweep of its own at home over No. 3 South Carolina last weekend. The Wildcats opened a good lead in the seventh on its way to a 7-3 win in the opener.
On Saturday, UK clinched the series with a massive offensive explosion, dropping 14 runs on 16 hits in a 14-7 victory. The Wildcats scored in every inning from the second through the eighth. Kentucky completed the sweep with a 9-2 win, answering a game-tying home run by South Carolina in the third with seven unanswered.
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Current Weekend Schedule
Tuesday, May 9 | 5:30 p.m. CT | at #16 Kentucky | Live Video | Live Stats
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2023 Record: 17-27
2023 OVC Record: 8-10
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 493-446-2 (17th Season)
Career: 544-522-3 (20th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: John Dyer (.333)
2B: Peyton Mills (11)
3B: 4 players tied (1)
HR: John Dyer (18)
RBI: Peyton Mills (49)
R: John Dyer (40)
BB: Troy Baunsgard (32)
SLG%: John Dyer (.722)
OB%: Troy Baunsgard (.428)
SB: Theo Bryant IV (5)
ERA: Jacob Morin (3.73)
W: 3 players tied (3)
APP: Colt Taylor (18)
IP: Hunter Mann (54.0)
K: Hunter Mann (70)
BAA: Jacob Morin (.200)
SV: Jacob Morin (4)
KENTUCKY WILDCATS
2023 Record: 33-13
2023 SEC Record: 14-10
Head Coach: Nick Mingione
UK: 209-142 (7th Season)
Career: Same
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jackson Gray (.371)
2B: 3 players tied (13)
3B: Jackson Gray (5)
HR: Hunter Gilliam (9)
RBI: Hunter Gilliam (59)
R: Jackson Gray (58)
BB: Emilien Pitre (37)
SLG%: Jackson Gray (.591)
OB%: Jackson Gray (.535)
SB: Jackson Gray (17)
ERA: Evan Byers (0.71)
W: 3 players tied (4)
APP: Ryder Giles (19)
IP: Zack Lee (53.1)
K: Zack Lee (55)
BAA: Evan Byers (.136)
SV: Mason Moore (4)
Photo by Jim Dillon
