By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A season ago Tennessee Tech won just two Ohio Valley Conference games and did not claim a single series win. On Sunday, the first day of conference competition, the Golden Eagles won their first two league games and claimed the series win over Southern Indiana – a team that finished third in the conference last season.
There's still a long way to go, but it's one heck of a statement to get the conference race started as the Golden Eagles topped the Screaming Eagles 2-1 and 5-0 to sweep Sunday's twinbill.
"The girls pointed it out, but we won our first two games on our new field and got the series win," head coach Danielle Penner said. "I just told them we don't want to stop there, we want to get the sweep. This is a great group with a lot of new faces. Everyone contributed and this was a really great day."
Tech (9-6, 2-0 OVC) will try to close out the series with a sweep on Monday morning as the two teams square off once more at 11 a.m.
Mac Fitzgerald drove in three runs for the Golden Eagles in the two games as she went 4-for-8 at the plate and scoring twice. Ella Bishop batted .600 with three hits in five at-bats, but she came home to score four times.
"We strung along some timely hits that we hadn't been able to get the last couple of weekends," Fitzgerald said. "We executed pretty well. I know I struggled the last couple of weeks, so it was nice to be able to help my teammates out."
In both games combined, the Golden Eagles collected 17 hits for seven total runs.
"We left some people on," Penner said, "but you're going to do that when you're getting runners aboard. They all did a great job and there was a lot of production coming from the bottom of the order. I can't ask for more than that."
Lennon Spicer and Payton Wagner both picked up victories, while true freshman Emily York picked up saves in both games.
"Emily is a beast," Penner said. "In tough situations, I think she's going to turn some heads. I truly believe before her career is over, she's going to lead Division I in saves. That's her specialty – she's so different than the others, she's so composed. She's out there like a seasoned senior."
In the series opener, Spicer went 6 1/3 frames, allowing a single run in the top of the sixth inning as she scattered five hits, walking three and striking out one. York came on and closed out the top of the seventh with a walk and two strikeouts.
Bishop went 2-for-3 in the game, coming home to score both runs in the contest.
Tech scored the first run in the bottom of the second. With two down, Bishop hit a single to center field, then S.J. Talley moved her over to third with a single to right. Jordan Key collected the RBI as she hit a single into center field.
Southern Indiana (6-11, 0-2 OVC) evened the game in the top of the sixth. Lexi Fair hit a single over a leaping Fitzgerald, then Sammie Kihega hit a double to right to send Fair home.
Tech reclaimed the lead in the home half of the seventh. Bishop reached on an error at short, then took second as an error allowed her to move up on a fielder's choice on Key's batted ball. Fitzgerald put a single into left center, allowing Bishop to cross.
Fair went 2-for-2 in the game.
Josie Newman took the tough-luck loss, going six completes as she allowed two runs – one earned – on eight hits, walking two and striking out four.
In the second game, Wagner and York combined for the shutout, yielding just five hits to the Screaming Eagles – all five to different players. Wagner went five innings to claim her third win of the season, walking one and striking out three. York threw two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and striking out one among her seven batters faced.
Fitzgerald went 3-for-4 in the second game, collecting two RBI, while Carmen Betts also drove in two.
Tech took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Betts drove in Fitzgerald with a sacrifice fly. The Golden Eagles added another run in the second as Fitzgerald drove in Bishop with a single up the middle.
Insurance runs came across for Tech in the sixth as three more came across. Fitzgerald hit a single up the middle to drive in Bishop, then Abby Shoulders hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Brooklyn Stewart to come home. Betts drove in Fitzgerald with a single to left center.
Whitley Hunter took the loss, allowing two runs on six hits as she walked four and struck out two. Raegan Gibson threw the final two innings, allowing three runs on three hits. She walked two and struck out one.
Photo | Jim Dillon
