By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Tennessee Tech got a momentum boost on Tuesday as the Golden Eagle softball team took a win from East Tennessee State to end an 18-game losing streak.
Now, Tech looks to turn that into some conference success as the Golden Eagles (4-38, 0-15 Ohio Valley Conference) heads to Edwardsville to take on SIUE (18-22, 4-9 OVC).
The three-game series begins with a 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The three games will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).
While the Golden Eagles are the odd-man out presently for the OVC tournament in Oxford, Ala., in May, Tech does have nine games remaining in the conference chase with the three this weekend at SIUE, the home season finale next week against Tennessee State and three on the final weekend at Southern Indiana. The Golden Eagles are currently four wins and percentage points behind the Cougars for what is currently the final spot in the eight-team tournament field.
The Cougars took two of three games from Southern Indiana last weekend – falling 4-3 before winning 5-3 and 4-3 in 10 innings – then topped Evansville in a single game on Tuesday to build a three-game winning streak.
As a team, SIUE is hitting .257 with 125 RBI and 14 home runs, outscored by its opponents by a relatively slim 151-137 margin. The Cougars have two players nearly hitting .400 on the season with Paige Rocha (.398) driving in 18, hitting a team-best five home runs and crossing the plate 32 times. Lexi King (.391) has a team-best 20 RBI and 13 stolen bases, while striking two home runs and 24 runs scored.
Three other players – Emma Neuman, Lauryn Yslava and Hayley Palm – each have more than 10 RBI on the season with 19, 16 and 12 respectively.
In the circle, SIUE has a season ERA of 3.19, walking 75 batters to 167 strikeouts with opponents hitting .258. Sydney Baalman (2.88 ERA, 56 Ks) has an 8-8 record, while Kelsey Ray (5-9) has a team-best 2.77 ERA and 87 strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, are hitting .235 as a team with 105 RBI and 12 home runs, outscored 360-119. Haeli Bryson leads Tech at the plate with a .311 batting average, driving in 24 runs and coming in to score 17 times. Abby Shoulders is hitting .291 and has a team-best nine stolen bases and 22 runs scored with 11 RBI.
Carmen Betts (15 RBI) and Nicolle Nysted (10 RBI) also have double-digit production.
In the circle, the Tech staff has a combined 8.66 on the season with opponents hitting .365. In the last 21 games, the Golden Eagles have seen some improvement, dropping it down to a 7.29 staff ERA and opponents hitting slightly less at .342.
Callie Piper (7.73 ERA, 2-16) has the team's best numbers in the circle, while Kaylan Cole (9.07, 2-12) has the Golden Eagles' other two victories, picking up the win over ETSU on Tuesday. Gracelyn Woollen is still looking for her first victory with an 8.37 ERA.
Tech will return home next week for its home finale against Tennessee State.
Photo | Jim Dillon
