By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team plays host to in-state rival Lipscomb in a midweek rematch Tuesday evening, squaring off with the visiting Bisons at 6:00 p.m. CT at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
The contest represents the final midweek tilt of the season in Cookeville for the Golden Eagles. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free of charge.
THE SERIES
Tuesday's match-up marks the 88th match-up since 1949 between the two programs, with the Golden Eagles owning a 49-38 lead in the series. The two teams split last year's home-and-home series, with each squad winning in its own ballpark.
The Golden Eagles went into Nashville and took the first meeting with the Bisons this season, topping their in-state rival 9-5. Seven different hitters drove in at least one run for the Cookeville crew while a combination of four pitchers took care of business on the mound.
LAST TIME OUT
Tech enters the midweek bout scorching hot, winning 12 of its last 15 ball games, including two over the weekend against Southeast Missouri in a battle for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The Golden Eagles dropped a heartbreaker in the first game, falling 4-1 in 10 innings after gathering a home run from Nicho Jordan to tie the contest in the ninth. Landon Smiddy completed seven innings with just one run allowed and nine strikeouts.
The purple and gold rebounded for a dominant, 10-2 showing in game two, squaring the series behind another gem on the hill from Peyton Calitri. The ace turned in eight innings with only a single earned run allowed, fanning eight batters along the way.
On Sunday, Jaxson Pease continued the trend with another dominant showing on the hill, racking up 8.2 innings of work with two earned runs surrendered and eight punch-outs in a tight, 4-3 victory. Tech ended the weekend tied for first place in the OVC with Little Rock.
TEAM NOTES
Known historically under the watch of long-time head coach Matt Bragga as one of the premier, home-run slugging programs in the country year in and year out, this year's Golden Eagles squad sports a slightly different look on offense. The 2024 edition still ranks third in the OVC in long balls, but it's been the patience and speed that has shined during the season.
Heading into the weekend, the Golden Eagles ranked tied for fifth in the nation in triples as a team, boasting 17 so far on the year. Tech also ranked 36th nationally in walks, drawing 216 this year to lead the OVC.
Left fielder Austin Turner paces the group with a whopping 44 in 40 games, tying for sixth nationally. Boasting 117 in his Tech career, he now ranks sixth in program history for walks, boasting two more than current teammate and Golden Eagle catcher Hayden Gilliland, who ranks eighth. Turner's eight career triples rank eighth in program history.
Turner and shortstop Tanner Shiver are both tied for 18th in the nation with four triples each. Peyton Calitri has been special on the bump, ranking third nationally with a strikeout/walk ratio of 11.50, fanning 69 batters with just six free passes on the year. The hurler also ranks third in the nation in walks/nine innings with a mark of 0.79 and eighth in the country with a 1.85 ERA.
Tech head coach Matt Bragga is starting to climb the OVC's all-time coaching wins list, closing in on sixth place. Bragga and TTU Sports Hall of Famer David Mays represent the only pair of coaches from the same school to rank in the league's top eight of OVC wins.
- Gary McClure, Austin Peay (1988-2015) 847
- Johnny Reagan, Murray State (1958-93) 776
- Jim Ward, Eastern Kentucky (1980-01) 628
- Jim Case, Jacksonville State (2004-21) 564
- David Mays, Tennessee Tech (1974-98) 554
- Mark Hogan, Southeast Missouri (1995-12) 526
- Matt Bragga, Tennessee Tech (2004-18, 22-present) 522
- Jim Schmitz, Eastern Illinois (1997-15) 480
- John Stanford, Middle Tennessee (1974-87) 402
- Steve Peterson, Middle Tennessee (1988-00) 401
On Monday, Tech starter Jaxson Pease earned his first career OVC Pitcher of the Week honor tossing a career-high 8.2 innings with two earned runs allowed and a career-best eight strikeouts in a 4-3 win over Southeast Missouri. He also completed the ninth inning with two punch outs to earn a save at Middle Tennessee.
Pease's honor marked the fifth OVC Pitcher of the Week nod presented to a Golden Eagle hurler this season and the fourth in as many weeks. Fellow weekend starters Peyton Calitri and Landon Smiddy have each taking home the accolade twice during the season. It marks the first time in program history Tech has captured five Pitcher of the Week awards, topping the previous program record for a season held by the 2010, 2017, and 2018 squads.
THE OPPONENT
Lipscomb comes into Tuesday's tile with a little momentum on its side after taking 2-of-3 in its Atlantic Sun Conference series against Eastern Kentucky over the weekend. The Bisons bested the Colonels in a 10-inning thriller on Friday, securing a 9-8, walk-off win with an RBI single.
EKU evened the series behind a 7-5 decision on Saturday, scoring in six of the nine innings. The Lipscomb bats took care of business on Sunday, earning an 11-1, run-rule victory in seven innings after plating six in the fifth frame and three more on a walk-off home run in the seventh.
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Current Weekend Schedule
Tuesday, Apr. 23 | 6:00 p.m. CT | vs. Lipscomb
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2024 Record: 25-15
2024 OVC Record: 10-5
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 522-468-2 (18th Season)
Career: 573-544-3 (21st Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Hayden Gilliland (.345)
2B: Troy Baunsgard (16)
3B: Tanner Shiver / Austin Turner (4)
HR: 3 players tied (7)
RBI: Hayden Gilliland (42)
R: Austin Turner (44)
BB: Austin Turner (44)
SLG%: Tanner Shiver (.606)
OB%: Hayden Gilliland (.470)
SB: Austin Turner (18)
ERA: Peyton Calitri (1.85)*
W: Peyton Calitri (7)
APP: Jaxson Pease (14)
IP: Peyton Calitri (68.0)
K: Peyton Calitri (69)
BAA: Peyton Calitri (.216)*
SV: Jack Erdman / Jaxson Pease (3)
* minimum 1.0 innings pitcher per team game played
LIPSCOMB BISONS
2024 Record: 13-25
2024 A-SUN Record: 9-9
Head Coach: Jeff Forehand
LIP: 471-494 (18th Season)
Career: 682-636-1 (24th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Mason Lundgrin (.341)
2B: Trace Willhoite (9)
3B: 3 players tied (1)
HR: Alex Vergara / Trace Willhoite (14)
RBI: Austin Kelly (47)
R: Alex Vergara (45)
BB: Will Lee / Mason Lundgrin (30)
SLG%: David Coppedge (.725)
OB%: Mason Lundgrin (.497)
SB: Parks Bouck / Alex Vergara (8)
ERA: Alex Brewer (6.42)*
W: Alex Brewer / Jake Poindexter (3)
APP: Jake Lynch (18)
IP: Alex Brewer (54.2)
K: Alex Brewer (41)
BAA: Jake Poindexter (.253)*
SV: Joey Mitchell / Ben Wilson (1)
* minimum 1.0 innings pitcher per team game played
Photo by Jim Dillon
