By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It was a split decision for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday, as the Golden Eagles picked up both a win and a loss during their Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader with Southern Indiana.
The Screaming Eagles (16-37, 7-15) edged the purple and gold in the series opener early in the day, eking out an 8-7 decision at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex. Tech (19-31, 10-13) bounced back in game two, securing an 11-7 victory to square the series.
With the win and a loss later in the evening by SIUE, the Golden Eagles clinched the No. 6 seed in next week's OVC Tournament in Marion, Ill. Tech will take on the Cougars, who clinched the No. 7 seed, in a 12:30 p.m. CT tilt at Mt. Dew Park.
The Cookeville crew struck first in the opener on Friday, as third baseman Peyton Mills ripped an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the first. USI responded, popping two-run jacks in the second and third frames to take a 4-1 lead. A solo shot in the fourth made it a four-run lead for the visitors.
Tech provided an answer in the bottom of the fourth, with catcher Hayden Gilliland hammering a lead-off home run down the right-field line. Two batters later, second baseman Eddie Garza clobbered a solo shot down the left-field line, pulling the purple and gold to within a pair.
The visitors plated two more in the fifth to move back in front by four, but the Golden Eagles went back to work in the sixth. Gilliland led off the frame with another solo nuke, this one to right-center field. It marked his ninth long ball of the season. Two pitches later, Preston Ford made it back-to-back bombs, belting a solo shot to left field for his sixth trip around the bags on the year.
Garza ripped a double down the third-base line later in the frame, eventually advancing a base on a wild pitch. Center fielder Nicho Jordan drove him in with an RBI ground out, pulling Tech to within a run. The Golden Eagles answered USI's eighth-inning run with an RBI walk to Mills, but the Screaming Eagles held on in the end for the 8-7 win.
Gilliland led the Tech effort in the first game, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI. Garza tallied a pair of knocks and runs scored as well. Peyton Calitri tossed two innings while allowing just two, unearned runs out of the bullpen. Right-hander Jacob Morin completed the final three frames, allowing a single run on three hits while striking out four.
In game two, the Screaming Eagles used a big third inning to take a 5-0 lead, looking to run away with a second win on the day. Tech had other plans, however, answering in the bottom half with a five-spot of its own.
After shortstop Troy Baunsgard was plunked to lead off the frame, left fielder Austin Turner followed with a base hit to right field to put a pair on. Mills uncorked a mighty hack on an 0-2 offering, smashing a three-run dinger to left-center field to pull the home squad back within a pair.
Tech loaded the bases while USI picked up its second out of the frame, but Jordan delivered the big swing to even the score before the inning came to an end. The slugger ripped a single to right field that just clipped off the outstretched glove of a leaping right fielder, falling for a two-run base knock.
The Golden Eagles kept applying the pressure and then some in the fourth, using a very similar blueprint to start. Baunsgard led things off by drawing a six-pitch walk and Turner followed with a five-pitch free pass of his own.
After fouling off three straight pitches, Mills made the entire ballpark experience déjà vu, pulverizing another three-run turkey to left center field. It represented his 16th long ball of the season, giving the senior six RBI for the game.
Far from finished, Garza grounded out for an RBI later in the frame while right fielder Theo Bryant IV beat out an infield single for another RBI. He dented the dish following a few at-bats, scoring on a wild pitch to make it an 11-5 lead.
The Tech pitching staff was strong over the final six innings, holding the Screaming Eagles to just two more runs for the 11-7 win. Freshman Brody Lanham picked up his first career victory, tossing a pair of frames with three hits and one run allowed.
Senior Colt Taylor made the most of his opportunity, completing three innings on the hill, scattering three hits, and surrendering just one, unearned run. Sophomore Parker MacCauley closed down the final two frames, allowing one run on one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
Mills, Gilliland and Jordan all picked up two hits each in the contest, with Mills leading the team with a whopping six RBI.
On the day, Baunsgard extend his remarkable reached base streak to 47 straight games, the second-longest mark in program history. He also upped his hitting streak to 16 games in a row to crack the top-10 list in school history. First baseman John Dyer increased his own hitting streak to whopping 22 consecutive contests, tying for the third-longest single-season mark in program history and fourth-best overall.
Prior to first pitch on Friday, nine members of the Tech squad were recognized in a Senior Day ceremony for their dedication to the program. Among those honored were Nathaniel Allen, John Dyer, Will Long, Peyton Mills, Jacob Morin, Brock Smith, Nick Spardone, Colt Taylor, and Tyler Zarella.
With inclement weather expected in the Cookeville area Saturday, first pitch for the series finale was pushed up to a 12:00 p.m. CT start. Fans are asked to monitor social media throughout the day for updates on any potential changes to the schedule.
Photo by Jim Dillon; Inset photo by Thomas Corhern
