By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MACON, Ga. – On the heels of closing out last week's College of Charleston Cougar Classic with a victory, the Tennessee Tech softball team heads down to the Mercer Bear Invitational this weekend looking to add a few more to that column.
Tech (1-6) opens with back-to-back games on Friday morning with a 10 a.m. contest against former Ohio Valley Conference foe Belmont – a late addition to the schedule this week – followed by a 12:30 p.m. tilt with Jacksonville. The Golden Eagles then get their first opponent this season from the Southeastern Conference as Tech plays single games against South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game is set for 5:30 p.m., while the finale is Sunday at 11:30 a.m. All times listed are Central time.
Belmont has opened the season with a 7-1 record as the Bruins' seven-game win streak was snapped in their last outing against UAB. Nicole Hughes has driven in nine runs so far, while Kristen Green has a team-best 11 hits with seven RBI and a .393 batting average. Maya Johnson enters the contest with a 0.95 ERA and a 6-0 record, walking eight and striking out 41 across 28 1/3 innings. Ellie Giles (2.63 ERA, 11 K) and Emma Summers (6.60 ERA, 7 K) have also seen starts in the circle this season.
Jacksonville enters the tournament with a 5-5 record, going 2-2 last week at the Jacksonville/North Florida Invitational with wins over Memphis and Bethune-Cookman, but falling to Penn State and Cleveland State.
Alison Carter leads the Dolphins with seven RBI, while Madison Reynolds has a team-best .290 batting average. Ashlee Harwood has a team-best 3-1 record with a 3.51 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings of work.
South Carolina, the first of Tech's SEC opponents this season with Auburn and Tennessee still ahead, is 8-1 entering the weekend, winners of eight straight games following a 9-1 run-rule loss to Charlotte on Feb. 9. The Gamecocks swept through the Carolina Classic with wins over East Tennessee State, Delaware, George Washington, Western Kentucky and Campbell. South Carolina takes on Georgia Southern on Wednesday before heading to Macon.
Marissa Gonzalez leads the Gamecocks with 12 RBI and a .417 batting average, while Riley Blampied (.240) has driven in eight and Brooke Blankenship (.348) has driven in seven, along with Emma Sellers (.368). Bailey Betenbaugh has a 3-1 record so far with a 3.62 ERA, while Donnie Gobourne (1.97 ERA) and Karsen Ochs (4.11 ERA) are both fielding a 2-0 record.
After losing its first six games, the Golden Eagles picked up the first victory in the Danielle Penner era on Sunday with an 8-3 win over College of Charleston. Tech is batting .255 as a team with Middle Tennessee transfer Abby Shoulders hitting a team-best .421 with five RBI and four runs scored. Haeli Bryson is hitting .381 with six RBI and three runs scored. In the circle, Callie Piper has a team-best 4.50 ERA with a 1-2 record.
