Click here for the 2013 tournament bracket (PDF)
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- One of the first things fans will notice this week when arriving at the Ohio Valley Conference tournament at Eastern Illinois will be the purple and gold Tennessee Tech trailer and tent just outside the stadium.
Tech fans and alumni will have a chance to visit and enjoy refreshments before and after the games as the Golden Eagles bid for another conference championship.
And, upon entering the field, what the fans will find is a Golden Eagle team ready for the rigors of the tournament. Despite heading into the eight-team gathering as the No. 7 seed, coach Bonnie Bynum's team will attack the long odds with confidence and a long tradition of tourney success.
Tech (22-26/11-11 OVC) opens play Wednesday with an early afternoon contest against league newcomer and No. 2 seed SIU Edwardsville. First pitch of the game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
Being seeded near the bottom of the field won't deter Bynum and her scrappy squad from waging a fight. Last season, seeded No. 6 in the six-team affair, the Golden Eagles worked their way all the way back from a first-round loss, defeating ever other team in the field including No. 1 seed UT Martin in the winner's bracket final. That Tech victory forced an "if necessary" second championship game, which the Skyhawks eventually claimed, 6-2.
It was a typical outing for Tech, which has found its way to the championship game 10 times in the past.
Host Eastern Illinois is the top seed in the event, and will host No. 8 Morehead State at 3 p.m. In the other first round games No. 3 Eastern Kentucky meets No. 6 Jacksonville State at 10 a.m., and No. 4 Murray State plays No. 5 UT Martin at 5:30 p.m.
If Tech wins Wednesday, the Golden Eagles meet the EKU-JSU winner at 12:30 p.m. If the Golden Eagles are tripped by SIUE on Wednesday, Tech will face the the EKU-JSU loser at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Tech, which plays in the OVC East Division, met West Division SIUE just twice this season, with the Cougars claiming both games in Edwardsville, 3-0 and 3-2. In the opening loss, SIUE pitcher Haley Chambers struck out 13 batters and allowed just two hits. In the second game, Tech managed eight hits but the Golden Eagles left 11 runners on base in the one-run loss.
Senior Melody Christian, who was named Tuesday night to the second-team all-OVC squad, leads the Golden Eagles at the plate with a .368 batting average. She tops Tech in at bats (163), hits (60), runs scored (32), stolen bases (23) and on-base percentage (.380).
Junior Kendall Hooper (.284) is next on the batting chart, and is tied with senior Brittney Spalding (.234) for the team lead in the power department with four home runs apiece. Spalding has a team-best 12 doubles.
Hannah Eldridge, who is fourth on the team in batting with a .269 average, tops the team in RBI with 24. Hooper and senior Chanelle Spalding are next with 21 RBI each.
Four pitchers have stepped inside the circle for Tech this season, but sophomore Taylor Ketchum and senior Claudia Harke figure to see most of the tournament action. Ketchum leads Tech with a 15-10 record and 2.75 ERA, while Harke is 6-10 with a 3.87 ERA. Ketchum has tossed 142.2 innings and struck out 71 while allowed 34 walks. Harke has thrown 88.2 innings and chalked up 37 strikeouts with 26 walks.
The tournament will not be available for viewing on the OVC Digital Network due to technical problems at the venue. Golden Eagle fans will be able to follow the action via live stats on TTUsports
May 8, 2013
Tech defeated in opening round of OVC Tournament
April 28, 2013
Tech sweeps Tigers: Playoff hopes still alive
April 27, 2013
Softball sidelined in Nashville
April 26, 2013
Softball travels to Tennessee State for three-game series
April 23, 2013
Golden Eagle athletes participate in Writing Festival
April 23, 2013
Softball games at Morehead postponed
April 21, 2013
Softball swept by OVC leader Eastern Illinois
April 20, 2013
Tech travels to take on top two teams in conference
April 20, 2013
Tech battles hard with SIUE, drops both games
April 17, 2013
Chattanooga steals victory over Golden Eagle Softball
April 14, 2013
Golden Eagles clinch series in 7-4 victory over Belmont
April 13, 2013
Tech softball splits doubleheader against Belmont
April 10, 2013
Tech's valiant fight falls short against #3/5 Tennessee
April 6, 2013
Harke throws a gem to force a split with rival UT Martin
April 5, 2013
Golden Eagles look to turn home runs into home wins
April 4, 2013
Tech softball team hosts annual Legends Weekend
April 2, 2013
East Tennessee State takes two from Golden Eagles
April 1, 2013
Claudia Harke wins OVC Holland Award
March 30, 2013
Tech clinches first OVC series with 5-1 win at EKU
March 29, 2013
Golden Eagles split OVC twinbill at Eastern Kentucky
March 23, 2013
Softball looks to get back to winning ways Sunday vs. APSU
March 22, 2013
Murray State takes doubleheader in Tech's first OVC outing
March 20, 2013
Softball drops twinbill at Lipscomb
March 19, 2013
Tech visits Lipscomb for Wednesday doubleheader
March 15, 2013
Softball schedule undergoes a pair of updates
March 12, 2013
Play Cancelled in Florida, Softball continues trip home
March 9, 2013
Golden Eagle youth finds strength in Tampa tournament
March 3, 2013
Tech falls in 8-0 five inning shutout to IPFW
March 2, 2013
Saturday Games Cancelled
February 24, 2013
Tech softball upended in final game of Frost Classic
February 22, 2013
Softball at Frost Classic hosted by UT Chattanooga
February 22, 2013
Tech sweeps pair on first day of Frost Classic
February 21, 2013
Save the dates: Alumni events planned for four Tech teams
February 17, 2013
Tech dealt two tough losses in final day of KSU Classic
February 16, 2013
Tech puts out Flames, cages Bears on first day of KSU Classic
February 15, 2013
Softball returns to Peach State, this time for Kennesaw State Classic
February 11, 2013
Taylor Ketchum snags adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week
February 10, 2013
Softball seals second victory of 2013 campaign
February 9, 2013
Spalding delivers as Golden Eagles split opening day pair in Georgia
February 8, 2013
Softball opens 2013 campaign at Eagle Round Robin
February 6, 2013
Softball Outlook: Golden Eagles aim for OVC Championship
January 16, 2013
Tech softball picked second in OVC East Division preseason poll
December 21, 2012
TTU Softball Holiday Camp fills up, registration closed
December 17, 2012
Holiday softball camp eyes record turnout but space still available
December 12, 2012
Tech tops OVC with 13 named NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes
December 11, 2012
Softball team to face wide variety of foes on 2013 schedule
December 6, 2012
Getting to know Golden Eagle junior Kendall Hooper
December 5, 2012
Softball inks six signees to 2013 Recruiting Class
November 27, 2012
Golden Eagle Softball gives back for the Holidays
October 23, 2012
Golden Eagle softball team ranks fifth in Division I in academics
October 6, 2012
Softball team makes tails wag at Bark in the Park
October 4, 2012
Golden Eagle softball hosts the Lady Vols
September 24, 2012
Softball adds 12 newcomers to an already powerful roster
September 18, 2012
Softball, Men's Basketball teams lauded for academics at Walton House
September 5, 2012
Golden Eagle softball team gets down and dirty in mud run
September 1, 2012
Golden Eagle softball team swings into fall season