By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team continues its four-game road swing with another Ohio Valley Conference series this weekend, making the program's first-ever trek north to Macomb, Ill. for three contests at Western Illinois.
Due to expected inclement weather expected in Macomb over the weekend, the league series has been shifted to Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m. CT on both Saturday and Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. start scheduled for the finale on Monday afternoon.
Fans are encouraged to check TTUSports.com and Tennessee Tech social media for any more potential updates to this weekend's schedule.
THE SERIES
Saturday's series opener represents the 17th meeting between the two ball clubs in the all-time series, with the Golden Eagles holding an 11-3-2 lead. The trip to Macomb marks the first for the Tech program, with the first seven match-ups in the series competed at neutral sites and the previous nine taking place in Cookeville.
The Golden Eagles have won each of the past 10 contests between the two sides, sweeping three straight series at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex. This year's weekend of play marks just the second for the two programs as OVC rivals.
In last year's three-game set at the Quill, the home purple and gold set the tone in game one with a spectacular pitching performance from Landon Smiddy. The senior hurler scattered two earned runs and three total over 8.1 innings of work, striking out 11 while leading his squad to a 6-3 win.
The Tech offense took care of business over the next two affairs, piling up 10 runs in the first two innings of game two on the way to a 12-2 victory. The Golden Eagles doubled down to take game three as well, firing off 14 hits for a 12-8 triumph to complete the series sweep.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Eagles enter Saturday's tilt after dropping a midweek contest at No. 1 nationally-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday, a 7-1 decision at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville. The purple and gold managed eight hits on the night but struggled to string them together.
The top-ranked Vols used three big swings and three wild pitches to score their seven runs in the contest, supplying the power with two-run home runs in the first, second, and seventh frames. A base knock and three wild offerings brought home the lone run in the third.
Tech's offense got its lick in at the top of the fifth, with left fielder Jackson Green opening the offense with a one-out double to left field. Two batters later, Preston Steele kept the frame alive with a two-out, infield single to shortstop. Catcher Mack Whitcomb delivered the key swing for the Cookeville crew, ripping an RBI knock to center field on the first pitch he saw to get the Golden Eagles on the board.
THE OPPONENT
The Leathernecks come into the weekend battling a six-game losing skid, extended on Tuesday with a 6-0 loss at Saint Louis. Western Illinois turned in six hits in the affair and even loaded the bases in the first, but ultimately couldn't scratch a run across the plate.
Last weekend, WIU lost a trio of OVC match-ups at Southeast Missouri, falling 12-1 and 6-5 in a Friday doubleheader. The Redhawks finished off the series sweep on Saturday, topping the Leathernecks 9-5.
CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD
Four-time Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year Matt Bragga is back for his 19th overall season at the helm of the Golden Eagle program and fourth after making his return to Cookeville in 2022. The Tech legend is starting to climb the OVC's all-time coaching wins list, currently ranked sixth overall. 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.
| 1. | Gary McClure, Austin Peay (1988-15) | 847 | ||
| 2. | Johnny Reagan, Murray State (1958-93) | 776 | ||
| 3. | Jim Ward, Eastern Kentucky (1980-01) | 628 | ||
| 4. | Jim Case, Jacksonville State (2004-21) | 564 | ||
| 5. | David Mays, Tennessee Tech (1974-98) | 554 | ||
| 6. | Matt Bragga, Tennessee Tech (2004-18, 22-present) | 545 | ||
| 7. | Mark Hogan, Southeast Missouri (1995-12) | 526 | ||
| 8. | Jim Schmitz, Eastern Illinois (1997-15) | 480 | ||
| 9. | John Stanford, Middle Tennessee (1974-87) | 402 | ||
| 10. | Steve Peterson, Middle Tennessee (1988-00) | 401 |
PRESEASON OUTLOOK
The purple and gold were selected to finish third in the OVC in a preseason vote of league head baseball coaches and communications directors, falling behind only defending tournament champion Southeast Missouri and defending regular-season champ Little Rock.
During its 2025 OVC Season Preview, D1baseball.com selected southpaw Jared Herzog as the No. 1 prospect in the league for the 2025 MLB Draft while outfielder Jorsixt Jimenez was ranked 11th. The D1baseball crew listed catcher Mack Whitcomb as the No. 2 prospect from the OVC for the 2026 MLB Draft, right-handed pitcher Jack Brafa No. 7 and right-handed hurler Juan Vargas No. 9. Rookie righty Carter Casabella was selected as an Impact Freshman, sitting at No. 10.
OVC HONORS
Last Monday, senior outfielder Nicho Jordan was recognized as the OVC Player of the Week for the first time in his career, .slashing .583/.688/.1.417 over four games with three home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. After opening Tech's first OVC series at Little Rock 1-for-4, Jordan exploded in the second contest, tallying two home runs (including one of the inside-the-park variety) on a 4-for-4 day with five RBI, five runs, a walk, and a stolen base.
On Feb. 17, sophomore catcher Mack Whitcomb earned his first career OVC Player of the Week nod, batting .385 with five extra-base hits, six RBI, and five runs in a four-game sweep over Le Moyne on opening weekend. He slugging 1.154 while turning in an OPS of 1.625, smashing two long balls along the way.
Twitter: @TNTech_Baseball
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Current Week Schedule
Tuesday, Apr. 1 | at #1 Tennessee | L, 7-1
Saturday, Apr. 5 | at Western Illinois | 2:00 p.m. CT
Sunday, Apr. 6 | at Western Illinois | 2:00 p.m. CT
Monday, Apr. 7 | at Western Illinois | 1:00 p.m. CT
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2025 Record: 19-11
2025 OVC Record: 4-2
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 545-490-2 (19th Season)
Career: 596-566-3 (22nd Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Mack Whitcomb (.339)
2B: Jorsixt Jimenez / Whitcomb (8)
3B: Jackson Green / Whitcomb (1)
HR: Whitcomb (7)
RBI: Whitcomb (30)
R: Owen Lee (26)
BB: O. Lee (21)
SLG%: Whitcomb (.616)
OB%: Whitcomb (.449)
SB: Nicho Jordan (6)
ERA: Juan Vargas (2.35)
W: Jack Brafa (5)
APP: Drew Mattox (12)
IP: Jaxson Pease (36.2)
K: Pease (32)
BAA: Vargas (.200)
SV: Vargas (5)
WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS
2025 Record: 6-18
2025 OVC Record: 1-5
Head Coach: Terry Davis
WIU: 19-55 (2nd Season)
Career: Same
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Liam Bushey (.354)
2B: Kenneth Perez (8)
3B: Tyler Large / Matt Olive (2)
HR: Large (4)
RBI: Bushey (20)
R: Large (24)
BB: Bushey / Paul Osting (14)
SLG%: Large (.500)
OB%: Bushey (.438)
SB: Osting (5)
ERA: Eric Rawlings (2.25)
W: Max Tripure (3)
APP: Rawlings (11)
IP: Tripure (36.2)
K: Jorge Romero / Tripure (21)
BAA: Rawlings (.236)
SV: Karsten Stotlar (2)
Photo by Betty Myers
