By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CLINTON, S.C. – The Tennessee Tech softball team closed out the final day of the Blue Hose Invitational on a high note as the Golden Eagles struck for 13 runs and freshman Tyler Erwin picked up her first career victory in the circle as Tech shut out South Carolina State 13-0 in five innings.
Erwin threw the first four innings, allowing four hits and striking out four. Callie Piper closed out the game in the fifth, yielding a hit while striking out another Bulldog.
Tech (4-1) got to SCSU pitcher DeAsia Lowther, striking for 10 runs – eight earned – on 13 hits, while walking one. Julie Manners lasted a third of an innings, allowing three runs on five walks, then Jade Hendricks threw the final two-thirds, giving up one hit.
Carmen Betts, KaDedra Temple, Shelby Penning and Nicolle Nysted each drove in two runs, while Penning hit her second career home run in the contest.
Tech scored in every inning played, striking for two in the opening frame as Haeli Bryson drove in Mackenzie Fitzgerald on a sacrifice fly, then Temple hit an RBI single to bring Abby Buettner home.
Two more plated in the second as Sydney Love-Baker brought Kaylan Cole in on a double, then Fitzgerald used her speed to steal home to make it 4-0 after two. The Golden Eagles added two more as Temple was hit by a pitch, then stole second. Penning went yard after that to make it a 6-0 lead.
Tech added four runs in the fourth. Bryson had a one-out single, then Buettner drew a walk. Betts singled to drive in pinch-runner Jordan Key as Betts and Buettner advanced to second and third. Temple laid down a grounder to short to drive in Buettner, then an error at first allowed Betts to come home. Penning and Nysted had back-to-back hits – a double and single respectively – and the later drove Penning in.
Amid pitching changes, the Golden Eagles had three more cross in the fifth. Alexis Trimiar walked and took second and third on wild pitches. Key, Gracelyn Woollen, Betts and Jessica Arrington also drew consecutive walks to drive in Trimiar and Key, then Nysted drove in Woollen on a single.
Tech returns to action next weekend at the Chattanooga Challenge, taking on Purdue Fort Wayne, Northwestern State, Indiana State, Chattanooga and Radford.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
