By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Another early onslaught from the offense was not enough to hold off visiting Notre Dame in Sunday's series finale, as the Tennessee Tech baseball team fell to the Fighting Irish, 14-11, at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Much like Saturday night's barn burner that ended in a 15-11 Notre Dame (8-2) victory, Sunday's affair saw the Golden Eagles (6-5) go nuts with the bats right out of the gate. This time, however, they would be doing it while trailing.
The Fighting Irish plated a pair early in the top of the first, drawing a lead-off walk before a two-run blast to take a 1-0 lead. Tech first baseman Kayne Jinks made a spectacular stab on a line drive with one out and quickly took the ball to the bag for an inning-ending double play.
He turned things over to his offense, which sent a whopping 14 batters to the dish to open the day. Left fielder Austin Turner set the standard right out of the gate, drawing a seven-pitch walk before second baseman Troy Baunsgard ripped a single through the right side as part of a hit-and-run that saw Turner take off on the pitch and slide in safely to third.
Center fielder Nicho Jordan drew a walk to load the bags, setting up Preston Steele for the chance to play hero. The Tech shortstop delivered, belting a grand slam to right-center field for his team-leading fourth round-tripper of the year.
It marked the first Golden Eagle grand slam since Gabe Lacy smashed a four-run circus clout at Murray State back on May 20, 2022.
Far from done in the frame, right fielder Theo Bryant IV was plunked by the next Notre Dame offering before third baseman Eddie Garza smacked a single to right-center field. First baseman Kayne Jinks ripped a base knock through the left side to load the bases again.
Designated hitter Jackson Green made it nine straight Golden Eagles to reach base to kick off the game, drawing a bases-loaded walk to drive in another run for the purple and gold. Even after a pitching change, Turner kept the train chugging along, getting plunked by another errant offering by the Fighting Irish for another Tech marker.
Baunsgard picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field for the first out of the frame, but Gilliland made sure to make it a whopping nine runs for the Golden Eagle offense before the end of the inning. The Tech backstop laced an RBI single through the left side with a beautiful piece of hitting the other way.
Both sides traded zeros in the second before the visitors from South Bend, Ind. started to crawl back bit by bit. In the third, a lead-off home run and RBI double cut the Tech lead to 9-4.
The Irish drove in two more in the fourth, despite a highlight play by Bryant and Gilliland. Notre Dame sent a fly ball to Bryant in right field for the first out and the senior gunned down a Fighting Irish runner trying to tag from third base for a double play.
The visitors squared things up in the fifth, picking up a two-run long ball and RBI double for a 9-9 score. In the sixth, the Tech offense made its final impact on the day.
Tanner Shiver, who entered the contest as a pinch runner for an injured Bryant in the fourth and stayed in right field, drew a lead-off free pass. After two outs, the newest member of the Tech lineup stole second base before Green picked up his own walk.
Shiver and Green each flashed the wheels on a truly wild pitch to Turner, both advancing a pair of bases on the miscue. Shiver slid in safely at the play at the plate while never breaking stride rounding third and Green followed suit by sprinting his way around second to reach third.
Green then scored on a passed ball to make it an 11-9 Golden Eagle lead before the end of the inning. Unfortunately for the Cookeville crew, that would end the offensive threat for the day with Tech securing just two hits across the final seven frames of the contest.
Notre Dame gathered another two-run jack in the seventh to tie the game for a second time and then delivered the final blow in the eighth. A go-ahead, RBI double was followed by another two-run jack to left-center field for the 14-11 final score.
The Golden Eagles got plenty of support through the loss, as more than 1,000 spectators took in the action at the Quill, the largest attendance at the Tech baseball game since more than 1,500 fans found their way to Cookeville for the team's tilt with in-state rival Tennessee back on Apr. 8, 2014.
Three members of the purple and gold turned in multiple hits in the tilt while 10 different Golden Eagles scored at least one run. Nick Vaccaro tossed a perfect ninth inning for the Golden Eagles, using just nine pitches to retire the side in order with one strikeout.
Tech will return to action Tuesday afternoon with a matinee at the Quill against Alabama A&M. First pitch is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. CT start.
Photo by Jim Dillon
