By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE – It's one final road trip for the Tennessee Tech softball team this weekend as they pack up to Nashville to face Belmont.
A doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start Saturday from E.S. Rose Park, while a single game on Sunday is also slated for 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required).
The host Bruins (12-23 overall) have had a tough go in the Ohio Valley Conference race this season, going 8-17 in league play, while also going 7-for-12 in home contests. Belmont has lost five of its last seven games, taking a victory in both series at Murray State and at home against UT Martin.
Belmont is looking for its second OVC series win of the season, the other being a four-game sweep over Tennessee State, and put a 4-8 April behind them.
Tech can understand the calendar woes, going 5-11 in April as well. The Golden Eagles (18-25, 12-15 OVC) have lost their last four games and seven of their last 10. Eastern Kentucky swept Tech on Sunday and Monday for the third sweep against the Golden Eagles this season, but Tech will also be looking for its fifth series win of the season against the Bruins.
The Golden Eagles are 32-13 all-time against Belmont, including a 22-game winning streak between 2000 and 2010. Belmont, however, is 10-8 against Tech in OVC play since the Bruins entered league softball competition in the 2013 campaign.
Tech currently stands in ninth, five-and-a-half games back of Jacksonville State (19-21, 17-11 OVC) for the final spot in the OVC Tournament in two weeks with just six conference games remaining. While the chances look dim, it's not impossible though a Tech loss to Belmont or UT Martin or even a Gamecock win at Tennessee State this weekend or next at home against Southeast Missouri would effectively end that scenario.
As a team, Belmont is hitting .233, scoring 109 runs with 102 RBI. In extra base hits, the Bruins have 38 doubles, nine triples and 18 home runs. Belmont has struck out 258 times in 904 at-bats, 29 percent of its total at-bats.
In contrast, the Golden Eagles are hitting .252, scoring 148 runs with 134 RBI. Tech has 49 doubles, one triple and 23 home runs. Tech has struck out 190 times in 1,180 at-bats, 16 percent of the time at the plate.
Belmont's pitching staff has a combined 4.45 ERA, striking out a combined 156 batters as the opponent is hitting .294 against them. Tech's battery has compiled a 3.63 staff ERA with 170 strikeouts and an opponent average of .243.
Cheyenne Cavanaugh is Belmont's top producer, leading the team with 17 runs scored, tied for the team-lead with 17 RBI with Lauren Veltri (.253) and a team-best .351 batting average to go along with a team-best 13-for-13 on stolen bases. Veltri (12), Audrey Lyle (16) and MyKayla Spurlin (10) have double-digit run scored totals, while Lyle (15), Alicia Veltri (10) and Kaley Varner (12) have hit double-digits in RBI. Lyle leads the team in home runs with seven.
In the circle, Alicia Veltri (5-11, 4.69 ERA) leads the Bruins in appearances (21) and strikeouts (72) as she has seen 85 innings of work, opponents hitting .298 against her. Alex Clesi (4-9, 4.12 ERA) has seen 11 starts in 68 innings, compiling 34 strikeouts and a .300 opposing batting average.
Alyssa Arden has posted a 9-14 record and a 3.57 ERA across 141 1/3 innings, striking out 94 and posting a .229 opposing batting average. Haeli Bryson has a team-best 2.70 ERA with an 8-7 record on the season, striking out 57 across 98 2/3 frames and holding opponents to a .244 batting average.
Nicolle Nysted leads Tech at the plate with a .354 batting average, collecting a team-best eight home runs and 23 RBI, despite missing nine games to injury. Returning in the last eight games as a pinch-hitter or designated player, she is hitting .500 in that span with eight at-bats, collecting six RBI with a double and two home runs, standing with a 1.375 slugging percentage and .556 on-base percentage since returning.
Tech has three players leading with 19 runs scored as Sydney Love-Baker, Jessie Lowery and Mackenzie Fitzgerald are all just one plate cross away from 20. Lowery has the most hits with 41, while Fitzgerald is a perfect 17-for-17 on stolen bases.
The Golden Eagles will close out the regular season at home next week as they host UT Martin.
