By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The weather delayed Tennessee Tech's start in the UNCG Invitational a day, now Saturday's games will get pushed back an additional 30 minutes as the Golden Eagle softball team enters this weekend's tournament.
The Golden Eagles will take on George Washington on Saturday morning ay 9:30 a.m. CT with the start time delayed by frost in the forecast. Following that game, Tech will take on the host UNCG Spartans at noon CT.
Tech will conclude its action in the event on Sunday with a single game against Iona at 9 a.m. CT.
George Washington enters Saturday with a 6-1 record and on a five-game winning streak after defeating Iona on Friday 13-2. GWU scored seven runs in the second inning and collected 12 total hits. Outfielder Ashley Corpuz went 2-for-3 in the game and had six RBI with a second-inning grand slam and a two-run single in the third.
Anna Reed (4-0) collected the victory, throwing three frames with two runs allowed on three hits. She also fanned eight batters in the contest. Reed has struck out 27 batters this season and has a 1.33 earned run average across 21 innings of work. Cece Smith (0.89, 11 K) has a 2-0 record, allowing two runs on seven hits in 15 2/3 innings.
Iona's Samantha Rieb took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in an inning-and-two-thirds.
Corpuz is batting .526 on the season with 10 total hits so far – including three home runs – while posting 15 RBI and eight runs scored.
UNCG enters Saturday with a 9-2 record after a 5-3 win over Iona on Friday to extend its winning streak to eight games. Samantha Beck and Grace Loftin hit round-trippers in the contest with Loftin driving in three in the contest.
Hurler Salem Ward improved to 6-0 on the season, going the distance as she allowed three runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two. Ward has a 2.12 ERA in the season, walking 14 and striking out 18 over 39 2/3 innings.
UNCG has four players with 13 or more RBI already this season as the team is batting .373 with 96 RBI and 24 home runs. Jessie Shipley (.436) has 15 RBI and five home runs, while Loftin (.463, 16 RBI), Rylie Williams (.281, 13 RBI), Meredith Harwood (.250, 16 RBI) and Macy Michael (.355, nine RBI) all have four home runs on the season.
Iona is 0-6 following Friday's action with the team batting .217 and collecting 18 RBI. Brooke Acker and Marylou Piazza lead the team with .333 batting averages. The team has a 7.43 ERA with Allison Hoppe (5.46 ERA, 0-3) striking out 10 in 16 2/3 innings and Rieb (0-3, 10.16 ERA) striking out 11 in 10 1/3 innings.
