By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech softball team will be in for a tough test this weekend as the Golden Eagles host defending Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champions Southeast Missouri for a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start with the second game following approximately 30-45 minutes after the conclusion. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required) with Dylan Vazzano providing the call.
The Redhawks (14-10, 3-0 OVC) enter the weekend on a five-game winning streak, sweeping Tennessee State 9-1 in six innings, 6-0 and 11-3 in five innings to open league play in Cape Girardeau. The streak also includes a 7-1 win over Kansas City and a 4-3 neutral site win over Iowa.
The biggest obstacle for the Golden Eagles (17-9, 0-3 OVC) comes in the circle with reigning OVC Pitcher of the Year Rachel Rook. The senior from Republic, Mo., broke the SEMO career record for strikeouts with her 503rd career K. Rook currently has an 8-4 record on the season in 17 appearances, collecting a 3.21 earned run average over 76 1/3 innings of work. She has walked 22 and struck out 103 this season with opponents hitting .213 against her.
Paytience Holman (3-2, 2.75 ERA) and Marisa Davis (2-2, 2.79 ERA) have also seen significant time in the circle in 20 combined appearances.
As a team, SEMO is batting .290 with 126 RBI in the campaign with five players – Aubrie Shore (19), Paige Halliwill (18), Kaylee Anderson (14), Kynzie Wrigley (14) and Kat Sackett (14) – posting 14 or more RBI on the season.
Anderson leads the team in average (.438), hits (28), doubles (six), stolen bases (four), total bases (46) and runs scored (22), while she is one of three players – with Shore and Halliwill – to hit a team-best four home runs thus far.
Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles saw an eight-game winning streak snapped with a three-game skid at UT Martin with the Skyhawks taking two by just a single run. Tech fell 8-4 in the opener, then dropped a 3-2 and a 4-3 decision in Sunday's doubleheader.
In Tech's five games last week, including victories over Bellarmine and Indiana State, the Golden Eagles batted .288 with 25 RBI, hitting eight home runs – including three for Maryland transfer Abby Buettner, who batted .400 and had eight RBI. Haeli Bryson batted .643 for the week, scoring eight runs and driving in four.
For the season, Tech is hitting .288 with 139 total RBI, hitting 24 home runs. Seven Golden Eagles currently have double-digit numbers in RBI, led by Bryson with 31 – currently No. 22 in Division I. With just one strikeout in 78 at-bats, Bryson is currently the third toughest batter to strikeout in the country.
Mackenzie Fitzgerald stands right behind her in 24th, striking out three times in 90 trips to the plate. Fitzgerald is a .400 hitter so far this season, leading the Golden Eagles in runs scored (31), hits (36), triples (three) and stolen bases (15-for-16). Fitzgerald ranks 11th in runs per game (1.19), 27th in stolen bases and 27th in triples.
Bryson also leads the team in home runs (seven), trailing EIU's Hannah Cravens (10) for the conference lead and Nebraska's Billie Andrews (16) for the national mark.
In the circle, Alyssa Arden is the conference leader so far in victories with nine, posting a 9-6 record in 18 appearances with a 3.44 ERA over 83 1/3 innings. She has walked 22 and struck out 58 with opponents hitting .242 against her. Freshman Tyler Erwin has also posted a strong start to her career with a 6-1 record, compiling a 2.38 ERA in 35 1/3 innings of work with 10 walks and 26 Ks. Bryson (2-2, 3.65 ERA) has walked 14 and struck out 28 in 38 1/3 innings.
Admission to all games at Tech Softball Field is free to the public.
Photo | UT Martin Media Relations
