By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Late inning dramatics played a role once again for the Tennessee Tech softball team as the Golden Eagles scored late to capture both games of Saturday's twin bill in the Holiday Inn Invitational hosted by East Tennessee State.
Tech (10-9) plated two in the bottom of the fifth to break a 2-2 tie en route to seizing a 4-2 win over Radford, before the Golden Eagles scored three in the seventh inning against the host Buccaneers (7-7) to complete the double dip sweep with a 3-2 victory.
In the day's first affair, the Highlanders (3-10) came back from a 2-0 deficit in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-run home run off the bat of junior Whitney Davis, before Tech responded with a two-run shot of their own courtesy of sophomore Alyssa Richards in the bottom of the frame. The 5-foot-8 catcher blasted one over the center field fence to give the Golden Eagles a 4-2 edge, driving in senior Hannah Eldridge who began the inning with a base hit into left.
Richards now has three round trippers on the season, while Eldridge continues to tear the cover off the ball after another two-hit showing for the Fayetteville, Tenn. native that included a third-inning solo home run that extended the Tech lead to 2-0. The long ball made it consecutive contests in which Eldridge left the yard, while the senior second baseman is hitting .467 (7-15) in the last six games.
From inside the circle, the combination of junior Hannah Weaver (5-3) and freshman Taylor Waldrop kept Radford in check throughout the course of the afternoon. Weaver won her second straight decision behind five solid innings of work with the Davis two-run fifth inning home run serving as the only real blemish against the 5-foot-5 righty. Waldrop fanned three and notched her first save in TTU purple and gold, holding the Highlanders hitless in the final two innings after entering the tilt with a runner on first and none away in the top of the sixth.
Radford's Kelsey Weddle was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs and nine hits in five frames of work.
Tech struck first in the bottom of the second, breaking the scoreless tie on a Gabby Perez RBI bunt single that brought around freshman Callen Griffin with the game's first run. Perez would end the first affair with a two-hit performance, one of three Golden Eagles to collect two hits along with the aforementioned Eldridge and freshman Bayli Cruse, who notched her third double of the season with a second inning two-bagger that put Tech in business.
The Golden Eagles saved their best dramatics for last, coming back from a seventh inning deficit to slip past the host ETSU in Saturday's nightcap.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the final frame Tech wasted no time in its comeback bid, leading off the frame with consecutive doubles by juniors Sabrie Neeb and Madison Taylor to pull even. One batter later, senior Angi Sakamoto capped off a brilliant second game at the dish, smacking a go-ahead two-run home run to give the Golden Eagles a 3-1 edge.
Sakamoto's game-winning round tripper was one of three extra-base hits in the game for the lefty swinging outfielder, and helped wrap up a Tech attack that smoked six extra-base hits overall in the tilt.
The Bucs made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, slicing the deficit in half behind a Danielle Knoetze solo home run with one down in the frame. Sophomore Kelsey Chernak followed the Knoetze long ball with a double into right center, putting the tying run into scoring position.
With the pressure mounting, sophomore Danielle Liberatore (5-5) turned it on when it mattered most, striking out the next two Buccaneers to push the Golden Eagles to the thrilling 3-2 victory. Liberatore went the distance in notching her second consecutive win, allowing only one earned run, scattering five hits, and punching out five as well.
On the opposite end of the equation, ETSU senior Whitney Leon (2-2) suffered the loss after surrendering the trio of seventh-inning runs.
Tech will close out its stay in Johnson City with a pair of Sunday matchups against Saturday's same two schools. At 10 a.m. CST the Golden Eagles will lock up with Radford, before ending the weekend with a 12 p.m. tilt with ETSU.
