By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Tennessee Tech softball team opened up the day Friday at the Army Columbus Classic with a big victory over the tournament host, but ran into a speedbump with undefeated Syracuse in the nightcap to end the day with a split.
Tech (4-3) defeated Army 9-0 in five innings in the opener, then fell to Syracuse 3-0 later in the day. The Golden Eagles will face the Black Nights again Saturday at 9 AM Central, then will take on the Orange once more at 2 PM.
The Golden Eagles had three players with multi-hit games, but the big blow came off of Makayli Harris' bat as she ripped a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning. Abbee Klinefelter, Sofia Carroll and Lainey Fitzgerald each had two hits in the contest.
Emily York (2-1) picked up her second win of the season as she worked all five scoreless innings in the run-ruled contest for the shutout, allowing six hits and striking out five without giving up a free pass.
Tech scored the first run in the top of the first as Jailynn Paderez drove in Abby Shoulders with a single to right.
The next two innings went scoreless before the Golden Eagles struck for three in the fourth. Klinefelter had a one-out single down the right field line, then took second on a wild pitch and third on Carroll's single to first. Bailee Stack came in to pinch-run for Klinefelter, then Carroll swiped second. Fitzgerald roped a single to third to score Stack.
Julie Martin came in to run in place of Fitzgerald, then immediately stole second. Ella Bishop and Harris both drew walks – the latter with the bases loaded to push across Carroll. Shoulders hit a sacrifice fly to knock in Martin to make it a 4-0 contest.
In the top of the fifth, Klinefelter reached on a three-base error on a collision in the outfield, then Carroll hit a double aided by an error to push one run across. An error at first allowed Fitzgerald to reach and Carroll to cross the plate. Bishop took a walk, then Harris launched a three-run shot for Tech's second home run of the season.
Against Syracuse, the Golden Eagles were held to three hits with Shoulders, Alina Schlageter and Bishop reaching on base knocks – all singles.
Orange hurler Madison Knight improved to 3-0 on the season with the complete-game shutout, walking one as Brooklyn Stewart drew a free pass, then struck out seven Golden Eagles.
Payton Wagner took the loss, allowing one run on four hits in 2 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. Addison Abell worked the next inning and a third, yielding two runs – one earned – on two hits, while Kyleigh Pitzer threw the final two frames with two hits, a walk and a strikeout.
