By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A gem on the mound and timely patience lifted the Tennessee Tech baseball team to its fifth consecutive win Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles picked up its second series win of the year with a 7-4 victory over Sacred Heart at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Picking up his second triumph on the hill this season, senior hurler Peyton Calitri calmly guided the purple and gold to the winner's circle. The right-hander provided 6.0 scoreless for the Golden Eagles (5-1), scattering three hits and striking out six Pioneers without issuing a walk.
After allowing a pair of base knocks with two outs in the opening frame, Calitri settled in and allowed just one more base runner the rest of the way, an infield hit in the third. The Tech veteran retired each of the last 10 batters he faced to provide the bats time to get him the lead.
The Golden Eagle delivered in the fourth, with center fielder Nicho Jordan setting the tone with a well-earned walk. He promptly stole both second and third, rattling Sacred Heart (0-5). Second baseman Troy Baunsgard was clipped by a 3-2 pitch, bringing on a pitching change by the Pioneers.
It didn't matter, as rookie designated hitter Mack Whitcomb whacked the first offering he saw through the left side for an RBI. Shortstop Preston Steele made it a 2-0 Tech lead, reaching on a fielder's choice to drive in the second marker of the frame.
The Cookeville crew went back to work in the fifth, loading the bases with two outs behind base hits from catcher Hayden Gilliland and Baunsgard, as well as a walk to Whitcomb. First baseman Preston Ford singled to shortstop to drive in the first run of the frame.
Steele kept the train rolling by getting plunked on a 1-2 pitch, earning the RBI the hard way. Right fielder Theo Bryant IV rounded out the scoring in the frame for Tech, waiting out a walk for a 5-0 advantage.
Sacred Heart plated its first two runs of the day in the seventh with a two-out, two-run double, but the Golden Eagles were quick to respond. Following the stretch, the offense returned to the patient approach that worked in the fifth.
Whitcomb collected a four-pitch free pass with one out before Steele collected a walk of his own with outs in the seventh. Bryant made it back-to-back bases on balls to load the bags before a third consecutive walk to left fielder Austin Turner produced an RBI. Steele scored on a wild pitch to provide a 7-2 Tech lead.
The Pioneers again picked up a pair of runs on a double with two outs, this time of the unearned variety. Sacred Heart tried to bring one more rally to the table in the ninth, despite Nick Vaccaro striking out the first two batters of the frame.
Clinging to a last inch of hope, Sacred Heart tallied a hit and a pair of walks to load the bases with still one out left to work with. Sophomore Brody Lanham came on to secure the win for the purple and gold and needed just one pitch to do so.
The right-hander induced a fly ball to left field, locking down his first save of the season. Baunsgard led Tech with two hits and two runs scored on the day while Whitcomb also dented the dish twice. The Golden Eagle lineup combined to draw another 11 walks in the tilt, including a team-high three from Bryant.
The series finale will feature a 1:00 p.m. CT first pitch Sunday afternoon at the Quill.
File photo by Drew Mattox
