By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MOREHEAD, Ky. – After a tough day Friday at Eastern Kentucky, the Tennessee Tech softball team found an opportunity to put some runs and hits on the board as the Golden Eagles swept Morehead State on Sunday.
Tech (12-13, 2-2 Ohio Valley Conference) won the first game 13-2, then the second 15-3 in five innings.
But the numbers from just those two games are staggering – nine home runs for the Golden Eagles and 27 RBI, as well as a .400 batting average, collecting 26 hits in 65 at-bats on Sunday. Tech also scored 10 runs in one inning in the second contest.
The biggest production came from Gabby LaSala and Sydney Love-Baker as they each had six RBI as LaSala hit three home runs – two in game one and a third in the nightcap. Raleigh Lewis drove in five runs and had two homers. Hallie Davis, Beth McCulley, Love-Baker and Alexis Trimiar also had home runs in the doubleheader.
McCulley, who went 6-for-7 against Eastern Kentucky, continued her hot hitting as she went 5-for-8 to improve to 11-for-15 in Ohio Valley Conference play. McCulley and Love-Baker came home to score four times each in the twinbill.
Alyssa Arden earned the win in the first game, allowing two runs – one earned – on one hit as she walked two and struck out seven. Kayla Hughes threw the final frame in relief, walking two and striking out three.
Tech scored a single run in the top of the first as McCulley took a full count to hit a leadoff home run. The score stayed that way until the fifth inning as Tech put a five-spot on the board. Love-Baker took a walk on four pitches, then a throwing error allowed Lewis to reach and put runners on the corners. After pinch runner Chandler Caldwell stole second, LaSala blasted a three-run shot to center field.
Later on in the inning, after Ashley McGowan walked on four straight pitches, Trimiar hit a two-run homer to left.
Morehead State responded with its only hit of the contest – a two-run home run from Princess Valencia.
The Golden Eagles went on to score seven unanswered runs with three in the sixth and four in the seventh. Love-Baker walked, then scored on a Lewis single as a throwing error allowed the Tech sophomore to come home. LaSala then hit her second home run of the game, a two-run shot to right center.
In the seventh, Hannah Richter led off with a single, then stole second before McCulley drew a walk. Leigh Ellen Thomas loaded the bases with a pinch-hit single. Love-Baker drove in Richter with a sacrifice fly to center, then Lewis hit a three-run home run to right.
In game two, Haeli Bryson picked up the victory, allowing three runs – two earned – on four hits, while walking one and striking out two. Hughes threw the fifth inning, striking out two.
Tech wasted no time in the first as McCulley singled to start the contest, then Jessie Lowery reached on an error putting runners on second and third. Love-Baker drilled a home run to left field for a quick 3-0 lead on her team-leading eighth homer of the season.
Morehead countered with two runs in the bottom of the second, and the score stood at 3-2 until the fourth inning as Tech collected 10 runs on seven hits and one error, which included a two-run triple for Love-Baker, a two-run homer for Lewis and a grand slam for Davis.
The Golden Eagles added two more runs in the fifth as LaSala hit a solo home run to left center, then Emily Bartholomew drove in Amanda Phy with a grounder to short.
Tech returns to action on Wednesday as the Golden Eagles travel to Nashville for a single game at Lipscomb, starting at 5 p.m.
