By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Haeli Bryson didn't record a strikeout until the seventh inning, but she didn't need to. Her Tennessee Tech teammates behind her were playing stellar defense.
Stranding nine Southeast Missouri baserunners in the contest, the Golden Eagles were able to make a two-run lead stick and sweep the Redhawks with a 2-0 victory on Sunday at Tech Softball Field.
With the win, the Golden Eagles (20-9, 3-3 Ohio Valley Conference) reached 20 wins for the first time since the 2016 campaign – and there's still over a month remaining in the regular season. The victory also gave Tech its first three-game sweep over SEMO since the 2006 season.
SEMO (14-13, 3-3 OVC) challenged the Tech defenders for sure. Bryson only had two 1-2-3 innings over the course of the contest, a nine-pitch third and a seven-pitch sixth. The Redhawks managed six hits and drew two walks, but the Golden Eagles only let one batter reach third in the contest.
Bryson ended the game with the complete-game shutout, yielding six hits while walking two and striking out two.
Marisa Davis took the tough-luck loss, throwing five frames and allowing one run on five hits, walking one and striking out none. Rachel Rook came on in relief in the sixth to try to limit any further damage, but Tech added another run in the frame on two hits. Rook also walked one and struck out another. SEMO also saw seven Golden Eagles stranded in the game.
Sydney Love-Baker and Savannah Talley both collected two hits in the contest, while Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Kaylan Cole and Shelby Penning had the other three base hits for the Golden Eagles.
Tech scored its first run on an infield single to SEMO first baseman Tori Bradley. She couldn't get the ball to second baseman Kynzie Wrigley, who was covering first, in time for the out, but watching Love-Baker cross and Cole gunning for home, Wrigley fired to Sydney Melton at home to tag out Cole to prevent any further scores.
The insurance run for the Golden Eagles came in the sixth. Love-Baker hit a one-out double on a hard-hit ball that landed in front of the SEMO third baseman and skipped through. Cole drew a walk on a 12-pitch at-bat, then Talley hit a single into left field to get Love-Baker home.
SEMO had the 9-1-2 batters of the order coming up and the Redhawks elected to pinch-hit the first two. Tatum Gerwitz grounded out to Carmen Betts at first, then Aubrie Shore took a 3-1 lead in the count. Bryson found the location for strike two, then got Shore to swing on strike three for Bryson's first punch-out of the game. Wrigley eyed a single through the middle, bringing up Kaylee Anderson, the Redhawks' offensive leader to the plate.
Anderson looked at the first two pitches to fall behind 0-2, then Bryson's throws sailed out to even the count. Finally, Bryson caught Anderson swinging to end the contest, claiming her third victory of the season.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Wednesday as they take on Morehead State in a midweek doubleheader.
