By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Alyssa Arden put together a strong outing on Saturday as she collected her 12th win and second complete-game shutout, fanning a season-high eight batters as Tennessee Tech collected a 4-0 victory over the visiting SIUE Cougars.
Tech improves to 24-11 on the season, 7-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while SIUE falls to 13-21, 5-7 in the league.
After the Golden Eagles struck for two runs in the bottom of the first, Arden and her SIUE counterpart, Lexi King, settled into a pitcher's duel. King retired eight straight Golden Eagles to keep any more runs from scoring, but Tech broke the drought in the fifth.
Arden ended the game allowing four hits as she walked one and struck out eight for her 11th complete-game victory. King went five full frames, allowing four runs on five hits, walking four and striking out one. Sydney Baalman came on and pitched the sixth inning, walking one Golden Eagle batter.
After King retired the first two Golden Eagle batters in the bottom of the first, Haeli Bryson hit a ball over King's head, but the pitcher climbed the ladder to knock it down. The throw to first dropped into the dirt and escaped the fielder, allowing Bryson to take second. Abby Buettner hit a single up the middle to drive in Bryson briefly as an unearned run that became earned as Sydney Love-Baker walked and Savannah Talley hit an RBI single to center field.
Tech ended up stranding eight in the contest, SIUE six, but the Golden Eagles added two crucial insurance runs in the fifth inning to give Arden some breathing room. Carmen Betts led off the inning with a single up the middle, then stole second. With two down, Love-Baker was hit by a pitch and Talley drew a walk to load the bases. Sydney Dukes dropped a single into center field, pushing Betts and Love-Baker home for the 4-0 lead.
SIUE threatened in the top of the seventh with two down. Pinch-hitter Grace Bretveld swung at strike three, but the ball skipped to the backstop and the pinch-hitter did her job to keep the game going. Micah Arps singled to short, but Arden coaxed a fly out to left to close out the game.
The series continues on Sunday as the two teams square off again at noon. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required) with Dylan Vazzano on the call. Admission to all games at Tech Softball Field is free to the public.
Photo | Jim Dillon
