By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The bats were singing for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Sunday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles secured a sweep of visiting Sacred Heart with a 21-8 victory at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Locking down its sixth straight win, Tech (6-1) was quick to attack right out of the gate and never looked back on its way to its largest offensive output since defeating Alabama A&M, 28-8, during the 2019 campaign. On the day, the purple and gold rack up 18 hits, including nine of the extra-base variety.
After rookie hurler Jack Brafa set the tone with a scoreless first, the Cookeville crew went right to work with the bats. Second baseman Troy Baunsgard lit the dynamite with one out, crushing a solo home run to left field for his first round-tripper of the year.
The Pioneers (0-6) got to two outs, but an error kept the frame alive and allowed the Golden Eagles to load the bases for third baseman Eddie Garza. It proved a costly mistake, as the sophomore immediately laced a two-run base knock the other way through the right side.
Still not satisfied, the Tech offense continued to roll thanks to a mighty swing by shortstop Preston Steele. The junior smashed a three-run blast to left-center field on a 3-1 count, his first trip around the bases this season.
Right fielder Jackson Green kept the massive inning going with a triple down the right-field line, but Sacred Heart finally recorded the first out to stop the bleeding, at least for the moment. Brafa turned in another scoreless frame before handing it back over to his lineup.
It delivered again, with Garza nearly repeating his performance in the prior frame. With the bases loaded thanks to a hit, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk, he dropped a double into left field to plate a pair and make it an 8-0 lead.
Sacred Heart got on the board in the third, taking advantage of a couple of mental mistakes in the infield that kept the frame alive. The Pioneers scored three runs, all earned despite Brafa's relatively clean inning.
The Golden Eagles took back the runs they surrendered and then some in the bottom half of the inning, with Green making some history along the way. The junior became just the second Tech player in program history to record two triples in a game, hammering a three-bagger off the top of the wall in center field to open the frame. He joined Thomas Nelson, who picked up a pair of triples against Illinois State back during the 2008 campaign.
It didn't take long for him to dent the dish either. After left fielder Austin Turner and Baunsgard drew back-to-back walks, Gilliland blistered a double off the wall in center field to drive in two. Center fielder Nicho Jordan finished clearing the bases three pitches later, lifting a two-run triple off the wall in center field for a 12-0 Golden Eagle advantage.
Jordan's triple helped Tech tie the single-game school record for the category, the fifth time the purple and gold pulled off the feat and first since the Feb. 23, 2008 contest with the Redbirds dominated by Nelson. For good measure, designated hitter Mack Whitcomb plated Jordan with a ground out to second base.
Getting yet another chance at the dish in the fourth, Jordan produced again, ripping an RBI single through the left side. Sacred Heart looked to mount a rally in the fifth, scoring three times to make it a 14-6 deficit, but Tech had more offense to provide.
Gilliland drove in a run in the sixth on a single to right-center field before the Pioneers answered with a single run in the top of the seventh. Tech had one more huge blow out to provide a double-digit lead and leave no doubt.
Following the seventh-inning stretch, it looked like it would be a zero for the Golden Eagles, as Sacred Heart picked up two quick outs to open the frame. Garza lit the spark for a big, two-out rally, doubling to right-center field on a beautiful approach the other way.
Good base running by Garza and Steele, who walked, allowed both to advance a base on separate wild pitches. Green continued his strong day at the plate with a base knock to left-center field, driving in both of his teammates.
After a walk to Turner and subsequent pitching change by the Pioneers, Bombsgard…wait…sorry… Baunsgard dropped the bat for a second time. The senior slugger slaughtered a three-run bomb to left-center field for his first multi-home run showing and a 20-7 Tech lead.
Both sides trade a run in the eighth, with outfielder Theo Bryant IV, who came into the game on defense in the seventh, opening the frame with a gorgeous opposite-field approach on a single to right field. The senior swiped second base and reached third after the attempt to catch him sailed into center field.
First baseman Kayne Jinks brought him home, sending a sacrifice fly to left field to secure Tech's football-like 21-8 final score.
Baunsgard and Garza each drove in four run on the day thanks to three hits apiece. Green also racked up three hits while plating a pair and scoring twice. Baunsgard crossed home plate a whopping five times, the first Golden Eagle since Anthony Carrera in 2019 to do so.
Gilliland reached base in all five of his trips to the plate, finishing 4-for-4 with a walk, three RBI, and three runs. Steele and Jordan each drove in three runs as well.
Freshman Juan Vargas picked up his first career win following 1.1 innings of relief following Brafa's three-inning start. Vargas punched out a pair while yielding two earned runs. Fellow rookie Drew Mattox took over from there, covering the next 2.2 innings with just one run allowed and four strikeouts.
Veteran Matt Gelorme shut out the Pioneers over the final 1.1 frames, fanning one without allowing a base runner.
Tech returns to the Quill Tuesday afternoon, playing host to in-state rival and former Ohio Valley Conference foe Belmont in a 3:00 p.m. CT match-up.
Photo by Jim Dillon
