By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It could be a chilly, wet weekend in Cookeville, but the Tennessee Tech softball team is shifting its schedule around to get games in this weekend as it hosts Tennessee State on Friday and Belmont on Sunday.
The series against the Tigers was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon, but now holds a 12:30 p.m. start on Friday. The series against the Bruins remains at its originally scheduled 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. start times on Sunday.
The games are currently planned for streaming video broadcast on the OVC Digital Network, weather permitting, with Dylan Vazzano providing the call.
Tech is looking to break a seven-game losing streak as it hosts the Tigers (3-32, 0-6 Ohio Valley Conference) on Friday. TSU has gone 0-8 this season in road contests, including a pair of OVC games at Morehead State last weekend. The Tigers dropped a 3-0 decision at SEC opponent Tennessee on Tuesday.
Overall, Katie Schneider leads TSU with eight RBI on the season, with Tassy Lyles owning the team's best average with a .281 mark. As a team, the Tigers are batting .205 with six home runs and 64 RBI.
In the circle, Lauren Powell (2-16) has worked the most innings, providing 98 1/3 innings, with 35 walks and 58 strikeouts to her credit and opponents hitting .298. In conference play, however, Tori Hart has seen more action, posting an 0-4 record and a 4.10 ERA in five appearances.
Despite a 1-3 start in conference play, the Bruins have put together a great start to the 2018 campaign, posting a 20-7 overall record. Lexi Rouse has been a big part of that, collecting eight home runs and 24 RBI with a team-high .382 batting average.
As a team, Belmont is hitting .294 with 17 home runs and 114 RBI.
Another major factor has been the pitching efforts from Brooklin Lee. For the season, Lee has an 11-3 record and a 1.22 ERA, posting eight shutouts among her 16 starts. She has 38 walks and 132 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .170 against her.
Rouse, also the Bruins' No. 2 pitcher, has a 6-1 record with a 2.05 ERA.
For the Golden Eagles (9-23, 0-6 OVC), the team has hit .255 with 22 home runs and 109 RBI. It's also just the fifth game at home for Tech, who has a 3-1 record at its home facility this season.
Bayli Cruse leads Tech with 23 RBI, with Raegan Sparks (19), Callen Griffin (14) and Hallie Davis (13) in double digits. Davis leads the Golden Eagles in batting average with a .313 clip, with Sparks (.309) just behind.
Taylor Waldrop remains the Golden Eagles' top pitcher for the season, holding on to a 5-7 record and a 4.33 ERA in 16 appearances this season, but has not seen action in OVC play so far this season.
Kayla Hughes has a 3.50 ERA in league play, with opponents hitting .250 against her, while Leigh Ellen Thomas has a 7.39 ERA, both with 18 innings thrown against OVC competition.