By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After weather wiped out Wednesday's scheduled meeting with Kennesaw State, the Tennessee Tech softball team will return to home action on Saturday with UT Martin heading to town for a three-game set.
Saturday will see a doubleheader starting at noon with a single game on Sunday also at noon. The games will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required). Dylan Vazzano will be on the call for the contest.
Admission to all games at Tech Softball Field is free to the public.
Tech (16-16, 7-8 Ohio Valley Conference) is coming off of a 10-8 win Sunday against Southeast Missouri as Abby Buettner and S.J. Talley both went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the contest.
The Golden Eagles are currently tied with UT Martin for sixth place in the league standings. Tennessee State (8-7 OVC) stands immediately in front of Tech and the Skyhawks, while Eastern Illinois (11-4 OVC), Southern Indiana (10-5 OVC), Lindenwood (9-6 OVC) and Southeast Missouri (9-6 OVC) hold on to the top spots. SIUE (6-9 OVC) is the holder of the final postseason spot at the moment, but Western Illinois and Morehead State (both 4-11 in the OVC) are still within reach.
Offensively, the series brings in an interesting dynamic as the Golden Eagles currently rank second in team batting and the Skyhawks third. UTM's Kaci Fuller ranks second in batting with a .421 clip, collecting 53 hits with six doubles, four triples, three home runs, 27 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 38 runs scored. Carmen Betts ranks third with a .398 average, 41 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 34 RBI.
However, the Skyhawks currently have the second-best pitching staff in the conference, posting a 2.92 staff earned run average. They have allowed the most free passes in the league with 110, but have the fourth-most strikeouts with 183. The Skyhawks average 3.03 walks and 5.04 strikeouts a game. In comparison, the Golden Eagles rank seventh with a 4.01 ERA, have walked 99 and struck out 128. Tech averages 3.28 walks and 4.24 strikeouts.
As a team, the Skyhawks are hitting .284 with 65 extra-base hits – 45 doubles, eight triples and 12 homers. In addition to Fuller's numbers, Katie Dreiling is putting up a solid season with a .333 average, nine doubles, two home runs and 27 RBI as well. Anna Hazelwood (.281) leads the team with four home runs and has 19 RBI, while Alli Robinson (.315) has 15 RBI and Avry Blume (.262) has 14. UTM has 168 total RBI and 181 runs scored.
Dreiling serves double duty as a pitcher, recording a 3.46 ERA and a 5-4 mark on the season over 58 2/3 innings. She has the fewest walks (20) and most strikeouts (57) on the team. Ashtyn Green has a team-best 0.79 ERA but has only made nine appearances this season with two wins and a save to her credit. Brooklynn Linneman has seen the most action, posting a 1.64 ERA and a 7-5 record over 18 appearances and 64 complete innings of work. She has walked 22 and struck out 41.
For Tech in the circle, Emily York -- primarily a reliever – leads the team with a 6-2 record and five saves, posting a 2.24 ERA as she has walked 21 and struck out 48. She has 24 appearances in 32 games. Every Golden Eagle pitcher has at least one win this season with Peyton Wagner with five and Lennon Spicer with four.
Offensively, Tech is hitting .295 as a team with 67 extra-base hits – 55 doubles, one triple and 11 home runs – while collecting 142 RBI. Betts leads the team in average (.398), hits (41), doubles (11), RBI (34) and is tied with Meaghan Houck and Faith Rush with two home runs. Abby Shoulders (.294) and Sydney Kirby (.287) each have 20 RBI. In addition to Fitzgerald (.302) and her prowess on the basepaths, Shoulders also has 17 steals to add to the team total of 72 on 83 tries.
Photo | Jim Dillon
