By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In you-can't-make-this-stuff-up fashion, the Tennessee Tech baseball team fell to USC Upstate by way of a walk-off home run on Wednesday afternoon, as the Spartans lifted the first pitch of the ninth inning over the wall in center field for an 8-7 victory at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
It marked the fourth consecutive contest the Cookeville crew saw the day end on a walk-off hit, after picking up a pair of victories over Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday and Sunday. In Tuesday's tilt, USC Upstate smashed a two-run walk-off dinger to down Tech 7-5.
The Golden Eagles (10-7) struck first in Wednesday's contest, producing a two-out rally in the top of the first inning for an early 3-0 lead. Catcher Hayden Gilliland kickstarted the offense by drawing a free pass.
First baseman Nicho Jordan ripped a single through the right side that sent Gilliland to third and then stole second base. Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week and right fielder Tanner Shiver delivered the clutch at-bat, ripping a two-run triple down the right-field line to put Tech on the board first against the Spartans.
Shortstop Preston Steele kept the inning alive with what turned out to be an important walk. In the next at-bat, USC Upstate attempted a pick-off at first base, but the ball got away from the first baseman just long enough for Shiver to alertly take off for the plate and score the third run of the ball game.
The home squad gathered a two-out rally of its own in the bottom half, using a double and a base knock to make it a 3-1 contest. Another Spartan RBI single in the second frame cut the Tech lead to 3-2.
In the top of the third, the purple and gold appeared to have something going after Gilliland singled up the middle, Jordan walked, and Shiver tallied an infield knock to shortstop. The Spartans traded a double-play ball for a run, gathering a pair of outs as Tech increased its lead to 4-2.
Freshman hurler Juan Vargas, who got the Golden Eagles out of a two-out jam with runners on the corners in the second inning, was spectacular over the next three frames. The right-hander allowed just a single base runner through the fifth before the USC Upstate offense finally picked up some momentum in the bottom of the sixth.
The Spartans singled and homered to left field to open the frame and tie the contest, sending the Cookeville crew to the bullpen. Upstate took the lead later in the inning, picking up another two-run shot to left-center field to make it a 6-4 ball game in favor of the home team.
It didn't take long for the Golden Eagles to respond, thanks to a bunt single to third base by center fielder Jackson Green to lead off the top of the seventh. The Spartans turned to their bullpen, but the plan didn't pay off, as second baseman Troy Baunsgard peppered the first pitch he saw up the middle.
Gilliland lit the fireworks for the Tech squad, working a 2-0 count before uncorking a towering, three-run blast to dead-center field. The senior backstop's third round-tripper of the year not only gave his team a 7-6 advantage, it also represented the 20th long ball of his career, tying Colling Harris for 25th on the program's career charts.
USC Upstate stayed relentless, leading off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the right field line and eventually knotting the contest at 7-7 with a sacrifice fly ball to deep, left-center field.
Gilliland, Shiver, and Green all turned in multi-hit performances on the day, with Gilliland leading the day behind three RBI, three runs, and two walks to go along with his home run. Shiver plated a pair while Jordan drew a pair of walks with a run and a hit in his first game at first base in the purple and gold.
Next up for the Golden Eagles is a return to Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex for this weekend's series against Davidson. Tech will host the Wildcats in a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. CT. Sunday's finale will also feature a 1:00 p.m. start.
File photo by Jim Dillon
