By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MOREHEAD, Ky. – With the way the wind was whipping around Morehead State's University Field, the Tennessee Tech softball team still found ways to hit bombs on Wednesday afternoon, knocking five home runs out of the park in a pair of five-inning run-ruled victories.
The Golden Eagles (22-9, 5-3 Ohio Valley Conference) saw Shelby Penning collect five RBI in the day's 9-1 opener with a grand slam and a solo home run, then Haeli Bryson, Abby Buettner and Sydney Love-Baker all went yard in the night cap to get an 8-0 victory to win their fifth straight game.
Morehead State falls to 2-22 on the season, 1-7 in league play.
In the opener, Tech struck for three runs in the first frame as Love-Baker collected a bases-loaded single, pushing Bryson across the plate. A fielding error on Kaylan Cole's grounder to short brought Carmen Betts home, then Buettner came across on a wild pitch.
Buettner drove in Mackenzie Fitzgerald in the second inning, hitting a single into left for the RBI.
The top of the third saw Savannah Talley, Cole and Sydney Dukes draw consecutive walks, then Penning hit her third home run of the season – a grand slam to right center.
A Peyton Jordan single provided Morehead with its lone RBI of the day, driving in Kirya Kingery with a safety to center field.
Penning got the run right back in the top of the fifth inning as she hit a home run to center field, enforcing the run rule as the home Eagles couldn't muster anything in the home half of the frame.
Tyler Erwin went the shortened distance, improving to 8-1 on the season. She held the Eagles to two hits, walking two and striking out two.
Bree Sexton fell to 0-3 with the loss, allowing eight runs – four earned – on four hits, walking six and striking out none in the first two innings of work. Madi Ogden threw the final three, allowing one run on two hits, walking two more and striking out three. Morehead State was also charged with four errors in the contest.
In game two, Bryson earned the victory – her fourth of the season – as she held Morehead scoreless for her second straight shutout. Bryson walked one and struck out three.
Lennon Spicer took the loss, falling to 2-10 on the season, as she allowed eight runs – five earned – on nine hits, walking three and striking out three.
Tech got on the board first in the opening frame as Betts and Bryson completed a double steal with Bryson taking second, Betts home. A costly error followed as Cole lofted a ball to center, then the ball got away from the fielder, allowing Bryson, Love-Baker and Talley to come home.
In the second, following a Fitzgerald single, Bryson helped her own cause with a home run to left center. After taking the first pitch for a ball, Buettner followed suit, hitting a dinger to center field for back-to-back homers to make it a 7-0 contest through two.
Following two empty frames, Tech was on the scoreboard one more time as Love-Baker drilled a home run over the University Field scoreboard for the eighth unanswered run.
Tech returns to action this weekend as it continues its OVC road trip to Austin Peay. Saturday will feature a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., then a single game on Sunday.
Photo | Jim Dillon, File
