By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Throughout the fall and into the start of the 2025 season, freshman Lainey Fitzgerald has been working hard to find ways to improve and add to her repertoire to become a productive member of the Tennessee Tech softball team.
This past weekend at the UNCG Invitational, Fitzgerald got to show off both her pitching and offensive prowess for the Golden Eagles. Through her efforts, she was selected as the Ohio Valley Conference's Pitcher of the Week on Monday.
The OVC weekly honors are nominated and voted on by the athletic communications staffers from each member institution.
Fitzgerald, a true freshman from Dayton, Tenn., accomplished a feat not done by a Tech pitcher for nearly eight years as she struck out 14 batters in the Golden Eagles' 4-1 win over George Washington to hand the team its second loss of the season and end a five-game winning streak for the Revolutionaries.
She went the distance, allowing one run on four hits and 14 strikeouts. Of her 129 pitches thrown, 79 were for strikes.
The Meigs Co. High product continued her strong weekend in the circle as well on Sunday as she topped Iona, holding the Gaels to two runs on six hits and a walk as she struck out six more batters. Fitzgerald also got the work done at the plate as she knocked a two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game before Sofia Carroll knocked in the go-ahead and game-winning run three batters later for the 3-2 victory.
For the weekend, Fitzgerald went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and two complete games. She allowed three runs on 10 hits, walking four and striking out 20 with opponents batting .200 against her.
As for the season, Fitzgerald is batting .438 with seven hits – including two doubles and a home run – as well as five RBI. In the circle, she has a 3-0 record and a 2.10 ERA, allowing eight runs – five earned – on 17 hits over 16 2/3 innings with opponents hitting .258.
It's the second OVC Pitcher of the Week honor in three weeks this season as Addison Abell won the honor after the first week of the season.
Tech (6-6) returns to action on Friday as they head to the Hilltopper Spring Fling in Bowling Green, Ky., taking on Evansville, Kentucky and tournament host Western Kentucky.
The Golden Eagles open their home schedule next Wednesday, March 5, as they host Bellarmine in a 3 p.m. matchup.
