By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The offense was out in full force for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles picked up an 11-5 victory over visiting UIC in the two teams' series opener at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Racking up 14 hits and 11 runs, the Tech bats created plenty of room for starter Jaxson Pease to work with, and the junior hurler delivered a gem. After surrendering one run on a pair of extra-base hits in the opening frame, the Golden Eagle ace shut down the visitors from Chicago over the next five innings.
Pease paced the purple and gold (7-3) with 6.0 innings of work on the hill, scattering six hits and a pair of walks. The right-hander struck out a season-high eight batters and allowed just the single run while moving to a perfect 3-0 on the year.
Riding a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the second, the Flames (2-8) made a pair of costly errors in the frame, allowing the Cookeville crew to take the lead for good. Unfortunately for UIC, the floodgates opened for the Golden Eagle offense, taking the momentum from the second and spreading it out over the remainder of the ball game.
Two throwing errors by the UIC defense loaded the bases with one out, allowing second baseman Jackson Rooker to open the scoring for the home team. The redshirt freshman delivered a two-run knock to center field, pushing Tech out front for the first time with a 2-1 lead.
A pair of doubles to left-center field from two Tech sluggers increased the advantage to 3-1, with designated hitter Riley Black ripping an extra-base hit with one out in the third. Two batters later, first baseman Carter Vrabel smashed a one-hopper to the wall, plating Black.
The Golden Eagles blew the contest wide open in the fourth, putting runners on first and second with one to set up Mack Whitcomb for a big swing. The catcher delivered with a two-run double down the left-field line, doubling the Tech lead to four runs.
Two pitches later, right fielder Jorsixt Jimenez updated the scoreboard for a 7-1 Tech lead, crushing his first round-tripper as a Golden Eagle to right-center field for a pair of RBI. In the fifth, Vrabel followed suit with a lead-off, moon shot to left field for an 8-1 advantage.
For good measure, the purple and gold loaded the bases again in the bottom of the seventh, this time with no outs. UIC looked to escape the jam with a pair of quick, painless outs, but Whitcomb had other plans.
After falling behind in the count 1-2, the sophomore slugger ripped a rocket down the left-field line on a hanging breaking ball. Whitcomb landed at second with a bases-clearing double, giving the youngster a five-RBI night.
UIC rallied a bit in the ninth, scoring four times on the power of four hits, including a two-run home run.
Whitcomb led the Golden Eagles with a 3-for-5 day and five RBI while Vrabel cashed in a pair of RBI on two hits. Left fielder Landon Smelser worked up a pair of knocks while scoring twice while Jimenez tallied two hits in the contest as well. Both Rooker and shortstop Owen Lee each scored twice as well.
Sophomore reliever Drew Mattox closed out the final three innings of the ball game, securing his second save of the season with one punch-out.
Game two of this weekend's series is slated for a 2:00 p.m. CT first pitch Saturday afternoon at the Quill. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free of charge.
File photo by Betty Myers
