By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech had no problem putting hits on the ground and runs on the board, but homestanding Chattanooga rallied twice to overcome the Golden Eagles' efforts, sweeping Tech 5-4 and 6-5 on Thursday.
The Golden Eagles fall to 4-4 on the season.
Sydney Love-Baker led Tech at the plate, going 5-for-7 with three RBI, while freshman Mackenzie Fitzgerald was 4-for-8 with a pair of RBI. The Golden Eagles collected eight hits in game one, then 12 hits in the night cap.
In game one, Kendall Durard had a solid start, yielding just one run in the first four frames, but ended up allowing three earned runs on four hits, walking four and striking out two. Alyssa Arden came on in relief, closing out the fifth and blanking the sixth.
Chattanooga struck first with a single run in the second, but Tech went ahead in the fifth inning. KaDedra Temple led off with a double to left, then took third on Jessie Lowery's grounder to third. Beth McCulley hit a ball to second base, but it wasn't fielded cleanly, allowing Temple to score on the play. Love-Baker followed it up with a triple to right to take the 2-1 lead as McCulley scored, then Fitzgerald drove her in with a single between first and second.
The Mocs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run single.
After Tech went ahead 4-3 in the seventh inning on a Love-Baker solo home run, Chattanooga tied the game on a two-out single up the middle. A throwing error on a Gracey Kruse double to right allowed Liz Rodebaugh to score the game-winning run as the Mocs walked the game off.
Hannah Wood allowed three unearned runs to Tech on seven hits over five frames, allowing one walk and striking out one. Brooke Parrott earned her first win of the season in relief, striking out four over the final two innings.
In game two, Tech scored five runs in the first three innings as McCulley scored on a Fitzgerald single in the first inning, McCulley and Love-Baker had RBI singles in the second, then Haeli Bryson hit a two-run home run in the third.
Arden got the start in game one, allowing one earned run on no hits, walking six and striking out two. Bryson relieved her then worked the next 3 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits. Fitzgerald pitched the sixth, allowing three runs – one earned – on three hits with a walk.
Up 5-1 in the fourth, Chattanooga scored one run in the bottom half, then another single run in the fifth. The Mocs got a leadoff single and moved the runner over on a bunt. An error put runners at the corners, then a double to left center tied the game. Another double to nearly the same location pushed the Mocs ahead.
Peyton Grimes gave Tech an opportunity to tie the game back up in the top of the seventh, reaching on a single, then advancing on a groundout, but a strikeout ended the scoring threat and the game.
Up next for the Golden Eagles is the start of Ohio Valley Conference action as Tech travels to Tennessee State.
