By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Braving wet, frigid, and windy conditions, the Tennessee Tech baseball team finished off a four-game series sweep over Le Moyne Sunday afternoon, topping the visiting Dolphins, 4-1, at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Using much of the same recipe as days one and two of the weekend slate, the Golden Eagles (4-0) made clutch defensive plays to back up stellar pitching and enough offense on a day where the wind was gusting in from center field consistently at 15 miles per hour.
The Tech bats wasted little time in providing rookie starter Carter Casabella with some run support, scoring in the first inning. After shortstop Owen Lee drew a one-out walk, catcher Mack Whitcomb followed with an RBI triple to RCF for an early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Cookeville crew struck again, loading the bases with two outs thanks to a pair of walks and a Le Moyne fielding error. Second baseman Eddie Garza scored on a wild pitch before the final out of the frame, doubling the Tech advantage.
The Golden Eagles carried the momentum into the fifth as well, once again loading the bags with a pair of outs on the scoreboard. Making his collegiate debut, Cookeville native Aaron Moffitt patiently drew a seven-pitch walk for his first career RBI.
For good measure, the purple and gold tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth, with Whitcomb again providing the big swing. The sophomore slugger crushed an 0-1 offering through the wind and over the wall in right-center field for a monster oppo taco and a 4-0 Tech lead. It marked the youngster's second home run of the season.
On the mound, Casabella was impressive in his collegiate debut, earning the win after completing 5.0 scoreless frames while allowing just two hits. The rookie worked through some adversity with three walks, balancing things out with three strikeouts.
Also competing in his first contest at the collegiate level, freshman righty Logan Moller covered the sixth inning and two outs in the seventh before exiting with a bases-loaded jam. The rookie allowed just one run on two hits and two walks, fanning a pair as well.
After allowing back-to-back hits to open the seventh, Moller earned a huge punch out for the first out and appeared to have his second of the frame on a check swing that hit the Le Moyne batter. The official ruling was no swing, however, loading the bags for the visitors.
Moller issued a free pass after an apparent strike three narrowly missed the zone to bring in the first run of the game for the Dolphins, sending head coach Matt Bragga to the mound to call for some help. Sophomore Drew Mattox answered the call and was dominant over the final 2.1 innings of the ball game.
The right-hander gathered a massive strike out of the Phins' three-hole hitter to get out of the jam in the seventh and wasted little time in working through the eighth. A first-pitch flyout, a four-pitch walk, and a 6-4-3 double play paved the way to the ninth.
Mattox finished off his first save of the year with three swift outs in the ninth, picking up a soft lineout to second base, another punch-out, and a two-strike ground out to first baseman Carter Vrabel, who made his Tech debut on the day.
Whitcomb and Moffitt each led the purple and gold with a pair of hits, while Whitcomb paced the team with two RBI and two runs. Both Whitcomb and Garza drew a pair of walks on the day.
The Golden Eagles return to action Tuesday afternoon, playing host to in-state rival Belmont in a 3:00 p.m. CT match-up at the Quill. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free of charge.
Photo by Jim Dillon
