By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
MARTIN, Tenn. – Early pitching dominance by the Tennessee Tech baseball team couldn't hold up to a late offensive surge by UT Martin Sunday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fell in the Ohio Valley Conference series finale at Skyhawk Baseball Field, 8-4.
It looked like the purple and gold (26-18, 10-8) was well on its way to victory, boasting a two-run lead after the second and starter Jaxson Pease cruising through the first five frames. Pease was so good, in fact, he held the Skyhawks (18-25, 10-8) without a hit until one out in the sixth.
Tech got on the board in the first frame with a sacrifice fly courtesy of first baseman Preston Ford and doubled that advantage in the second, thanks to a home run to right-center field off the bat of Tanner Shiver. The round-tripper marked his eighth of the year.
UT Martin finally got to Pease in the seventh, smacking a lead-off long ball before the Tech sophomore recorded two quick outs. A walk and a second dinger, this one a two-run shot to right-center field, pushed the Skyhawks in front for the first time on the day and ended Pease's day on the hill.
The home team attacked again in the eighth, racking up four hits and five runs on the Golden Eagle bullpen. The big inning moved UT Martin out front 8-2.
The purple and gold tried to get back in it in the ninth, using a pair of solo bombs to cut the deficit to 8-4, but the offense ran out of time. Catcher Hayden Gilliland belted his team-leading 10th jack down the right-field line, giving him 27 round-trippers for his Golden Eagle career. Ford left the ballyard with a shot to left field for his fifth trip around the bases this season.
Gilliland led Tech with a 3-for-5 day at the dish while Ford and second baseman Troy Baunsgard each tallied a pair of hits. Ford paced the team with two RBI.
The Golden Eagles will conclude its four-game road swing on Tuesday, heading to Nashville for a midweek tilt at Vanderbilt at 6:00 p.m. CT.
File photo by Jim Dillon
