By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – If the Tennessee Tech softball team keeps winning at home, they may never want to hit the road again.
The Golden Eagles used some late-inning heroics in both games to earn the sweep over SIUE and improve their record at the Tech Softball Field to 11-0 on the season. It is the longest home winning streak since 2007, where Tech went 15-0 en route to a 20-2 mark at home.
Tech saw SIUE tie the day's first game at 7-all in the fifth inning, but the Golden Eagles struck for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 12-7 victory in the Sunday opener. In game two, after the Cougars took a 5-2 lead in the fifth, Tech tied the game and took the lead in the sixth. SIUE tied the game in the top of the seventh, then Haeli Bryson hit an RBI single up the middle for the 7-6 walk-off victory.
Sydney Dukes had a fantastic game in the first game, going 2-for-4 at the plate and driving in five runs. She also went 2-for-3 in the nightcap with another RBI to drive in six on a 4-for-7 effort on the day. Sydney Love-Baker was 2-for-6, but drove in four runs.
It wasn't just offense as the Golden Eagles had huge defensive plays. Brooklin Richardson had two amazing catches – the first in the third inning with Tech trailing 4-2. Lauren Yslava led off with a shot that was a sure home run, but Richardson climbed the ladder – reaching over the wall – and snagging the ball for the out. She also had another phenomenal catch in the seventh inning of game two, stretching out into a full dive to collect the out in a key situation.
Pitching-wise, Alyssa Arden collected her 13th victory of the season in an offensive slugfest that wouldn't be kind to any pitcher's stats. Arden walked two and struck out seven, but was tagged for seven earned runs on eight hits in the complete game effort.
Mia Haynes took the loss in the first game, allowing 12 runs – eight earned – on 12 hits, walking two and striking out four across 5 2/3 innings. Sydney Baalman, who later took the loss in game two, came on in relief and retired her lone batter faced.
Bryson threw the first five innings of the second game, allowing five runs – four earned – on four hits as she walked one and struck out seven. After she was taken out, Tech tied the game and took her off the hook as Tyler Erwin worked her way to her ninth win of the season. Erwin pitched the final two frames, allowing one run on one hit – a solo home run by Jenna Herron to lead off the seventh – as she struck out one.
Kelsey Ray, making her first OVC start, went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with a strikeout, but Baalman took the loss allowing three runs – none earned – on four hits, walking one.
In game one, SIUE took a 2-0 lead as Bailey Concatto drove in Lexi King with a single to right, then Amber Storer used a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Concatto. Tech cut the deficit in half as Abby Buettner hit a single to right, driving in Bryson.
The Cougars got a two-out single from Micah Arps, then King and Concatto hit back to back doubles to drive in two more. Tech made it 4-2 as Dukes hit a double along the left field line to plate Savannah Talley.
The Golden Eagles struck for four runs in the third inning to take a 6-4 lead. Carmen Betts led off with a walk, then advanced on Bryson's grounder to the circle. A throwing error at short on Buettner's batted ball put runners at the corners. Love-Baker laid down a perfect bunt and the SIUE infielders threw home to try to get Betts, but she slid underneath the play to touch home to make it 4-3.
Talley took a walk to load the bases, then Dukes grounded to first, driving in Buettner and tying the game at four. Shelby Penning then hit a single to short to drive in Love-Baker to take the lead, and Talley came home on Richardson's single up the middle.
The Golden Eagles added a single run in the bottom of the fourth as Betts led off with a solo home run to make it 7-4.
After getting robbed of a home run in her previous trip up, Yslava wasn't getting denied again. With King and Concatto parked on base, Yslava hit a deep shot over left center to square the game once more.
Tech surged out once more in the bottom of the sixth. Richardson led off with a single to first, then stole second, but a throwing error allowed her to take third. After a flyout to the second baseman, Bryson hit a single up the middle to drive in Richardson and retake the lead.
Buettner and Love-Baker hit back-to-back singles, driving in Bryson, then Talley reached on an error at second to load the bases. Dukes delivered a double into right center to clear the bases and giving Tech its 12 runs.
In the second game, Grace Lueke had an RBI double to center field, driving in King to put the Cougars up 1-0. That was it until the bottom of the fourth. Bryson singled to left and took second on a wild pitch, then Love-Baker worked the count full on seven pitches. She launched the eighth over the wall to give Tech a 2-1 lead with a home run to left.
SIUE scored four runs in the top of the fifth. Katie Smith took a walk and King singled back to the circle. Concatto drove in Smith with a single down the left line, then Lueke hit a home run to left center to take a 5-2 advantage.
In the home half of the inning, Dukes led off with a single to center field, then Mackenzie Fitzgerald, facing two down, launched the ball to left field to make it a 5-4 game. In the Tech sixth, again with two down, the Golden Eagles got something going as Talley singled to center, advanced to second on a throw to get Love-Baker, who reached on a walk, at third, but the third baseman threw the ball away as Talley took second. The error allowed Love-Baker to score, tying the game at five, and Talley to reach third. Dukes brought the go-ahead run in on a single to center.
SIUE tied the game as Herron led off with a solo home run to left, leaving the game to the Tech offense in the bottom of the seventh. With one down, Fitzgerald eyed a single up the middle, then an error at third allowed Betts to reach. The duo advanced on a wild pitch, then Bryson collected the game-winning hit, knocking a single up the middle to plate Fitzgerald for the walkoff.
The Golden Eagles improve to 26-11 on the season, 9-5 in the OVC, while SIUE falls to 13-23, 5-9 in the league. Tech returns to action on Friday, hosting Belmont in a single game before a Saturday doubleheader.
Photo | Jim Dillon
