By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Tennessee Tech softball team returns to action this weekend as the Golden Eagles head to Charleston to compete in the College of Charleston Cougar Classic.
Tech will face Boston at 9 a.m. on Friday, followed by the first of two games against Canisius at 11:30 a.m. The Golden Eagles will take on the Golden Griffins again at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday morning followed by the first of two games with the host Cougars at 4:30 p.m. Tech will close out the tournament with one more meeting with College of Charleston at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The forecast for Charleston sees a chance of afternoon showers on Friday, but sunny skies on Saturday and mostly cloudy on Sunday make for an optimistic forecast for the tournament.
Tech (0-2) got two games in last weekend at the Alabama State Stinger Classic, falling 1-0 to Western Carolina in eight innings as Kaylan Cole locked into a pitchers' duel before the Catamounts struck for the walk-off run in the bottom of the eighth. The Golden Eagles also saw a 16-5 loss to Kennesaw State with Haeli Bryson driving in three before weather wiped out the remainder of the tournament.
Boston had a strong start to the campaign last week as the Terriers went 3-1 at the USF-Rawlings Invitational. BU shut out Saint Joseph's 8-0 in the opener, then topped Illinois State 2-1. The Terriers also run-ruled South Florida 8-0 in six, before falling 11-2 in five innings to Florida.
Emily Gant (.462) drove in four to lead the Terriers, while Kayla Roncin (.500), Lauren Keleher (.364) and Caitlin Coker (.250) each drove in three. Lizzy Avery posted a 0.00 earned run average across 5 2/3 innings, while Kasey Ricard had a 2.42 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings of work.
Meanwhile, the Golden Griffins will open their campaign against the Golden Eagles on Friday. Canisius junior pitcher Megan Giese was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason player of the year last week after collecting 14 wins and a 1.98 ERA last season with 185 strikeouts in 159 innings. Saige Alfaro (.369, 12-of-13 stolen bases), Gianna Fazzolari (eight HR, 38 RBI, 74 total bases) and Christie McGee-Ross (56 hits, 23 stolen bases, 19-game hitting streak) were named to the Preseason All-MAAC team. Canisius was also projected to finish first in the MAAC.
College of Charleston opened its season on Wednesday as it took on South Carolina after the Charleston Invitational was rained out. The Gamecocks won the game in a run-rule, blanking the Cougars 8-0 in six innings. College of Charleston was picked sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association preseason poll with senior pitcher Payton Lemire (2.64 ERA, five wins) and junior outfielder Mia Dittoe (.254, four HR and 20 RBI) named to the conference's preseason watch list.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
