By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MARTIN, Tenn. – The 2022 season has had a great start for the Tennessee Tech softball team, taking a 17-6 record through the first month of the campaign and rifling off eight straight victories.
It's an interesting thought – especially with the Golden Eagles picked seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll – on just where the Tech squad could prove themselves to be.
OVC play begins this weekend and the Golden Eagles make a trek over to UT Martin with a single game on Saturday and a doubleheader on Sunday, giving Tech an opportunity to show just what they're capable of.
First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. The doubleheader on Sunday will begin at noon. The games will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).
It's tough to compare pre-conference records in the standings based on the wide range of opponents faced, but the Golden Eagles enter this weekend with the most wins (17) and highest winning percentage (.739) of any team in the league, as well as touting that eight-game winning streak.
The Skyhawks, meanwhile, are currently third with a 13-7 mark, including a perfect 3-0 record at home. UTM went 1-2 at last week's MTSU Invitational, topping Saint Louis 8-0 in six innings after taking defeats by Illinois State (1-0) and the host Blue Raiders (4-3).
Kaitlyn Kelley is leading UTM in RBI with 18, while Kallie Pickens has 17. Kelley, Katie Dreiling and Avry Blume each have three home runs, while Kaci Fuller leads the team in batting average with a .423 mark. Paige Clark leads the team with 14 stolen bases.
As a team, the Skyhawks are batting .319 with 119 RBI – allowing just 59 RBI to opponents. UTM has 28 doubles, five triples and 18 home runs.
In the circle, Alexis Groet has opponents hitting .164 against her over 48 2/3 innings. Posting a 6-3 record and a 1.29 ERA, she has 15 walks and 49 strikeouts this season. Erin Gallagher (4-1, 2.12 ERA) has 14 walks and 28 strikeouts with opponents hitting .218.
In contrast, the Golden Eagles are batting .301 as a team with 130 RBI – allowing 62 against. Tech has 30 doubles, six triples and 20 home runs.
Haeli Bryson leads the team with 28 RBI while Tech has seven players with double-digit tallies. Bryson also has five home runs and 21 runs scored with a .386 batting average. Mackenzie Fitzgerald leads the team with a .438 average and has 31 runs scored and 51 total bases, including going 15-for-16 on steals.
Abby Buettner had a strong showing at the Golden Eagle Classic, driving in 11 of her 14 RBI and hitting all four of her home runs for the season against Bellarmine and Indiana State.
In the circle, Alyssa Arden leads Tech with a 9-4 record and a 2.85 ERA, recording 15 walks and 53 strikeouts across 73 2/3 innings with opponents hitting .222 against her. Tyler Erwin has come on strong in her freshman campaign, posting a 6-1 mark and a 2.60 ERA, walking nine and striking out 25 with opponents hitting .264 against her.
Photo | Jim Dillon
