By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
MARTIN, Tenn. – Strong pitching and a big day offensively from junior Hannah Eldridge carried the Tennessee Tech softball team to a doubleheader split at UT Martin (23-20-1, 10-7). The Golden Eagles (16-32, 8-11) won the first game of the twin bill, 6-2, thanks to a complete game gem from freshman Danielle Liberatore (9-10), but were upended late in the second contest, 3-1.
Liberatore fanned 10 batters for the second time in the last four OVC starts to collect her fourth straight conference victory, limiting the Skyhawks to just two runs (one earned) on only four hits to propel Tech to a 6-2 win in the opener.
TTU scored six unanswered in the win, coming back from an early 2-0 deficit after Martin grabbed two in the second inning behind a Stephanie Nidiffer solo home run and a Golden Eagle error. Tech chopped the deficit in half in the top of the third, scoring on an infield single off the bat of junior Angi Sakamoto that plated freshman Gabby Perez.
Sakamoto picked up hits in both games of the double dip to extend her season-long hitting streak to 17 games.
Down 2-1 in the top of the fourth, Hannah Eldridge smacked a go-ahead three-run round tripper down the left field line, the Fayetteville, Tenn. native's first home run of the season to put the Golden Eagles ahead 4-2.
Eldridge would be heard from again with an RBI single to right field that scored senior Kendall Hooper in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 5-2. Three batters later senior Chelsea Burgess scored on a wild pitch for TTU's second run of the inning to take a 6-2 advantage.
Eldridge ended the first game going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored, one of two Golden Eagles to pick up six hits in the tilt with Kendall Hooper accomplishing the feat as well.
UTM freshman Elizabeth Wigand (10-6) suffered the loss, lasting five innings and giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits.
Tech sophomore Hannah Weaver (5-17) strung together a great performance from inside the circle in the second affair, but was edged by junior Casey Vincent (6-6) in a classic pitcher's duel. Both pitchers went the distance with Weaver allowing three runs on five hits and Vincent allowing one run on four hits.
Down 1-0 in the top of the sixth, the Golden Eagles deadlocked the score with a two-out RBI double off the center field wall by sophomore Cortney Fry that brought home Kendall Hooper who walked with one out in the inning.
Fry was the only Golden Eagle to record two hits in the game as the 5-foot-6 third baseman also singled in the second inning.
Squared away at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, senior Stephanie Nidiffer broke the tie with a two-out two-run home run, the Nashville native's second long ball of the doubleheader.
Tech will play its last two road games of the regular season on Sunday, traveling to Southeast Missouri for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. CT.
